


Stranger Than X

by littlemisfit5290



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016), The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Post-Episode: s10e02 Founder's Mutation, Science Fiction, Telepathy, The X-Files Revival
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-07-29 20:46:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7698826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisfit5290/pseuds/littlemisfit5290
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mulder and Scully  investigate further into  Goldman Technology, and stumble on similar goings on in Hawkins, Indiana.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A shameless attempt to bridge The X-Files and Stranger Things. This will be multi-chap and messy and, yeah it's my first crossover fic ever. Please be gentle with me.

_Washington D.C  
Goldman Technology_

 

“Damn it, Mulder,” Scully spits once they reach the safety of her car. 

  
“Scully, what are you-“

  
“Get in, Mulder. Now.”

  
He does as asked and she glowers, child locks the doors.

  
“Was that really necessary, I-“

  
“What the hell were you thinking? That vial in your pocket is evidence, Mulder. For a case that’s officially out of our jurisdiction.”

  
“Thanks for the reminder there,  _Skinner_.” he snorts. She scowls and he loses his bravado, looks down to buckle his seatbelt.

  
“You had no right to just pocket and walk out with-“

  
“What? Physical proof of a telepathic, even a telekinetic bond shared between twin mutations?”

  
“They were siblings, Mulder. Kyle and his sister? They were _human_ siblings.”

  
“Who in their spare time can shatter glass and transmit an eardrum-perforating pitch. These twins weren’t the Olson sisters, Scully.”

  
“Of course they weren’t. One was a boy,” she snorts, pulling out of the lot and taking off down the highway. Easily ten miles above the speed limit.

  
“You leave the bathtub running at home, Scully?”

  
She flicks her eyes at him icily before looking back to the road.

  
“I was just thrown across a hallway like a goddamn rag doll, Mulder. It’s past midnight, I’m sore, and I want to go to bed.”

  
“You could’ve gone to the hospital after the paramedics arrived.”

  
“And told them what exactly when they asked what happened to me?”

  
“Freak accident?“ he suggests, watching her grip tighten on the wheel. 

  
“I didn’t need an exam Mulder, I’m fine.”

  
“Well good, because even if we’re off the case, I think we owe it to ourselves to get the sample tested. At the very least determine what category our latest X-File will be under in the filing cabinet.”

  
“In the closed case category. Alphabetically that falls under C.” 

  
“You’re that ready to close the book on what we witnessed tonight?”

  
“After witnessing Goldman’s retinal hemorrhage I thought you’d feel the same way.”

  
“Scully, this lab could easily be linked to the Syndicate or other operations we’ve come across in their pursuit. For how many years you and I worked to dismantle these entities and uncover the truth. Here we are, back in the same car, and you’re just willing to drop it? Give up?”

  
“The security on scene didn’t give us much choice.”

  
“Since when has interference like that stopped you?”

  
“Since now, Mulder.”

  
Her tone is low but deafens, adding nervous tension to the already tense SUV. To counter it Scully sucks in a breath, speaks after a beat.

  
“I didn't mean to snap. But I’m tired. I’m sore. I'm ready to go home.”

  
Mulder reaches over, his hand aiming to cover her’s on the wheel before she flinches, moves it from his reach. Dejected, he shifts in his seat, stares out the window to count mile markers for the remaining drive.

...

  
She drops him off at his car once they reach the level he parked in at the garage.  She knows she shouldn’t be surprised that after she drove off, then discreetly looped back through the garage, that she sees Mulder grab an overnight bag from his trunk. Make his way inside the building.

Scully parks in the first spot she sees, abruptly and on an angle. It’s past midnight and even the janitorial staff have gone home for the night. Everyone in their right mind is home in bed except for them. It figures.

Once she reaches the basement she stands quietly in the doorway. Sees Mulder seated behind the desk. He’s thumbing through a file folder with one hand, while the other scrolls the touchpad on his laptop.

She looks at her watch, wonders how long she’ll stand here without him picking up on her presence. One, two…

  
“Scully?”

  
“Twenty-five seconds,” she snorts, meeting his gaze.

  
“What?”

  
“Never mind.”

  
“I thought you wanted to get home? As I remember you were tired, you were sore…”

  
“My curiosity got the better of me,” she shrugs, hanging up her bag and jacket. 

  
“I didn’t think you still had an overnight bag for the office.”

  
“Repacked it as soon as I was reinstated,” Mulder says. “And it’s not as if I have anyone to rush home to.”

  
“Well, neither do I,” she scoffs, refusing to take the bait. Pulling  a chair over she sits and folds her legs, arches a brow.

  
“Well, so long as you’re curious…” Pushing the file folder across the desk to her, she reaches for it. Scans the classified contents.

  
“You dug into the state archives?”

  
“Had to. The good people of Hawkins, Indiana wanted to keep this one to themselves.”

  
Reviewing the file Scully can’t believe her eyes. Shakes her head in disbelief before setting the folder down, running a hand over her face. 

  
“Mulder…this is-“ 

  
“I know. And that’s not even a full account of the incidents there in 1983. This is all a precursor to Goldman, Scully. A predecessor to all the experiments and mutations. We test Kyle’s blood, do some digging in Hawkins…just think of-”

  
Standing up Scully crosses the room, yanks her purse from the hook in the corner.

  
“Scully… are you-“

  
“I’m fine,” she says. Uncapping an ibuprofen bottle she swallows two of the pills dry. 

  
“Yeah. The wall you were thrown into said so, too,” Mulder snorts, earning a glare.

  
“I think we need to pursue this further, Scully. What we saw tonight can’t be swept under the rug. I think a field trip to Hawkins is just what the good Dr. Goldman _didn’t_ order.”

  
"Mulder, there’s no saying that an isolated incident in a small town in 1983 has anything to do with Goldman and his genetic testing."

  
“An isolated incident? Scully, you just read the file. Pregnant women were subjected to LSD experimentation, and resulting mutations were harvested to be stockpiled as weapons.”

  
“Against the Russians in the early eighties. We’re in 2016!”

  
“Scully, as a scientist and a woman who was subjected to-“  
  
  
One stare from her is enough to silence him. 

  
"We’re not talking about _me_ here."

  
“What about Terry Ives? The mother who was subjected to this, Dr. Brenner’s tests. Whose child-“

  
“Stop it, Mulder. Damn it, just stop it!” Scully exclaims. Pinching the bridge of her nose she takes a slow breath, in and out.

  
Guilt creases Mulder's face, washes over him like an icy shower. He wants to walk over, comfort her but can’t seem to make himself move out from behind the desk.

  
“Scully, what we saw tonight. What you just read. I won’t get you involved. It’ll be my project. Wasn’t that what you kept telling me to find, a project?”

  
She chuffs out a half laugh, half sob. Looks at him with glistening eyes.

  
“Why this project, Mulder? Of all the goddamn truths you could pursue, why-“

  
“It’s one of the strangest things we’ve seen yet,” he says sheepishly.

  
“Look, I can go this alone. Just dig into it enough to satisfy my curiosity. Maybe turn my findings into material for a kick-ass sci-fi novel.”

  
Arms folded she shakes her head, bites her lip.

  
“You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?”

  
“Scully, all I need is a few days down in this town. And one favor from-"

  
“Damn it, Mulder.”

  
“I need the blood sample from Kyle tested. It’s the only way to determine-“

  
“No, Mulder. My curiosity is entirely satisfied.” she sniffs, sliding her jacket back on as he stands up, approaches her.

  
“Scully, this is the best chance we have at cracking this thing open. Goldman, Hawkins, it’s all linked and if we can just-“

  
“I’ve seen enough blood for one day, Mulder. I’m done.”

  
She exits the office and the building before he can attempt to follow or say another word. Once driving home, reaching the silent sanctuary of her apartment she slides off her jacket, shoes. Slowly walks into the bathroom. 

Flipping on the light she checks her face in the mirror, gently pinches the bridge of her nose then lightly presses upward beneath her nostrils. Seeing no indicators she lets out a slow, shuddering breath. Her eyes well up with tears but she'll be damned if they fall. It was a one-time occurrence. After one nasty fall in a hospital hallway. It was nothing to stress over. 

She reminds herself of that as she retrieves the crumpled, bloody tissue from her pants pocket, tosses it into the wastepaper bin by the vanity. She doesn’t know why she opted not to tell the paramedics, why she hid from Mulder in the ladies room until the nosebleed passed. She doesn’t know why at all.

It was nothing to stress over.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the feedback and kind words about this fic! This chapter covers a lot of ground, hopefully it'll leave you wanting more. Enjoy and please comment if you can! :)

_Once emerging through the gooey web she steps into a large, dim clearing. Trees surround her and the air is gauzy, speckled with white floating flecks. She wants to feel calm here. It feels calm here. Whatever malevolent presence that had been here before is long gone, long dead. But she can’t settle herself down, not until she sees her. Gets through whatever this bizarre realm is and finds her._

_  
“Mommy?”_

_  
“Em? Emily I’m here. I’m right here. Just keep talking so I can find you..”_

_  
“Mommy, please? Mommy?”_

_  
She’s running now, looking behind every tree and every shrub. It’s dark and she trips over a slimy tree root. The white flecks grow in number, obscuring the space and she can’t get up. Can’t move._

_  
“Emily! I’m almost there, baby. I’m almost there!”_

_  
She struggles to stand, get away from the being that’s approaching her. It’s surrounded in white light, extending a hand towards her. Scully squints, seeing a shorn head, narrowed eyes, a girl’s face. Not her daughter’s._

_  
“What do you want from me? I need to get to her!”_

_  
The girl shakes her head no, blood dripping from her right nostril._

_  
“Let me get up and get to her! What the hell do you want from me! LET ME GET TO HER!”_

_  
The white light glows brighter, blinds her and then she hears ringing. More ringing.._

 

“Damn it!” she swears, jolting upright in bed. Her heart’s pounding and she’s sweated up, shivering.

  
Scully forces herself to breathe in and out. Manages to get her heart rate back to normal right as the doorbell rings, again.

  
“Hold on. I…I’m coming.”

  
Climbing out of bed she checks her reflection in the vanity mirror, sees blood crusted underneath her nose and some freshly escaping her right nostril.

  
“Damn it,” she chokes out. Blotting with a tissue she pinches the nostril, holds the kleenex firmly in place until it subsides.

  
Going in the bathroom she cleans herself up, makes sure all evidence of the bleed is gone before throwing on her robe. The doorbell rings again, and this time it’s followed by a loud knock.

  
“Scully! Open up!”

  
“Jesus, Mulder.”

  
Opening the door she scoffs, sees him with his overcoat thrown on, file folders in hand. His hair is disheveled and his scruff is starting to come in. Under better circumstances she’d appreciate the disheveled and the scruff.

  
“What took you so long? I’ve been ringing that bell for five minutes.”

  
“The neighbors must love you, I’m sure.”

  
Stepping aside to let him in Scully cinches her robe around her, ties the sash tight.

  
“What do you want, Mulder? It’s 4AM. Couldn’t you have just called?” she grumbles, going in the kitchen to put coffee on. He follows, looking too wired to even need coffee.

  
“You used to be used to my early morning wake up calls.”

  
“We just resumed our partnership, Mulder. I was hoping we’d ease back into those wake up calls. Slowly.”

  
“Now where would the fun be in that?” he grins as she shakes her head, fills the coffee pot with water at the sink. Walking it back to the counter her hand trembles, causing some of the water to spill out the top.

  
“Shit.” she swears, setting the pot down before grabbing a dish towel.

  
“Whoa, easy there. I got it.”

  
Walking over to clean up the water he frowns up at her nervous, jittery stance. How pale she looks.

  
"You okay, Scully?”

  
“I’m fine. I just had a bad dream before you got here and I’m still not…”

  
“You want to talk about it?”

  
Shaking her head no she folds her arms over her chest, shivers.

  
“Here, take a seat at least. I didn’t even want the coffee anyhow.”

  
He pulls out a chair for her at the kitchen table and she smiles softly, reluctantly sits. 

  
“Yeah, you already look pretty wired.“

  
Nodding, Mulder smiles back, joins her at the table.

  
“This whole Hawkins case, Scully. I’ve been reading up on it even more since you left the office. I’m amazed it didn’t come across our desk earlier on.”

  
“There was probably a reason for that. You saw how quickly the D.O.D jumped in to take us off the Goldman case. I’m guessing everything at Hawkins had a tight lid kept on it.”

  
“Well I’ve been working all night to pry that lid off. I accessed the Gunman’s archives and database, found a ton of information.”

  
“I’m not surprised. I’m sure they all would’ve had a field day with this.”

  
“Yeah. They would’ve,” Mulder says gruffly as Scully sadly smiles, reaches over to squeeze his hand. Pleasantly surprised, Mulder starts up a thumb war. Earns a small giggle as she crushes his digit beneath hers.

  
“Scully, we owe it to Kyle and Molly and anyone else who came up against Goldman Technology to dig into their predecessor. Even if we’re cut off from Goldman by the D.O.D, they can’t stop us from investigating Hawkins.”

  
“Mulder, what’s to say there’s anything there to even investigate? We’re talking about events from over thirty years ago. They had to have covered their tracks. I doubt half the town residents are even aware of the situation from back then.”

  
“But I’ve been reading up on this town, Scully. It’s bizarre. The only information I can gather on them, even public knowledge like census data, court cases, is strictly from the year 1984 and before.”

  
“What are you saying? The town has gone off the grid?”

  
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. This is why they put us back in the game, Scully. You and I, we both still got it.”

  
“Mulder, all we have right now is an archived file and a hunch.”

  
“We’ve worked with less before.”

  
Shaking her head Scully lets out a groan, rests her elbows on the table and her head in her hands.

  
“Agh, Mulder.”

  
“Scully look at me. C’mon,” he begs, sitting back in the chair as she moves her hands from her face, meets his eyes.

  
“I know you’re upset by this case. It’s affecting me too.”

  
“Mulder, you walked in here with that file like a little boy who found his Christmas present a month early.”

  
“Don’t do that. Don’t deflect like that.”

  
“I’m not deflecting, Mulder. It’s true! You’re dying for us to hit the road and drive to Indiana to pursue this. Don’t try and tell me you’re not. It’s insulting.”

  
“Fine, yes. In the spirit of not insulting you, yes. I want to investigate this. Go to Hawkins. But despite what I said earlier, I don’t want to go it alone. I can’t go it alone.”

  
“It’s not even an official assignment, Mulder. You said you needed a couple of days to dig into things. If I stay back I can cover for you when Skinner asks what you’re up to.”

  
“As much as I appreciate you watching out for my job, Skinner’s looked the other way before and besides, we’ve got some vacation time.”

  
“That you’ve already put in a request to use I’m assuming,” Scully sighs, wringing her hands that she’s content to stare at again.

  
“I won’t put in the request until I know you’re on board, Scully. Like I said, it’s not something I’m gonna do alone.”

  
“Is it something that we need to do now?” she asks, her voice cracking as she does so. 

  
“The timing, Mulder. We just got the X-Files back. We’re barely back to being partners.”

  
“We’ve always been partners, Scully,” he says gruffly, reaching for her hand again.

  
“And I know this case will test that, test us. But pursuing this isn’t about us. It’s about the people in Hawkins in 1983, and its about the teenagers in that lab we encountered a few hours ago. If we don’t look into this, get to the bottom of Goldman Technology and it’s predecessors, who the hell else will?”

  
“How long did it take you to come up with that speech, Mulder?” she asks softly as he lightly laughs.

  
“Thought it up on the car ride over. Was it enough to convince you?”

  
Looking at the hopeful spark in his eyes, Scully tries to think of the last time she’d seen it, but only found herself remembering the times she hadn’t. The first time was when she’d told him about the cancer, the most recent was when she packed her bags.

Now the spark was back. And despite her feelings about the case, their partnership, how off she’d felt since being thrown into that damn wall, she couldn’t resist it. Or him. Unfortunately the son of a bitch seemed to realize it, given the goofy grin on his face.

  
“Fine. You win. I…I’ll go and pack.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this update is a little bit longer, trying to get ahead to the crossover point in this crossover fic. Much thanks to everyone reading and kudoing. Comments give me life so please, throw feedback my way if you want this madness to continue. :)

Putting a few more essential items in her bag, Scully sees her phone light up across the room. Walking over to where it’s charging on the nightstand, she sees a missed call and voicemail from her mother. Realizing that she’d tried calling her when she’d been in the shower, Scully frowns. Hand trembling as she holds the phone. 

Rattled, fearful, under slept. Three adjectives currently describing Dana Scully that she knows Maggie Scully will pick up on in the first two seconds of hearing her voice.

She makes a point of calling her mother before every out of town case, but can’t make herself so much as dial this go around. If she tried to downplay it, Maggie would know and worry. If she went into detail Maggie would worry. And after accompanying her to her last doctor’s appointment, Scully knew worrying was the last thing her mother needed to be doing.

Perching on the bed she pulls up the voicemail, brings her phone to her ear to hear the message.

  
“Hi Dana, it’s Mom. Just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing.”

_Just fine if you don’t count a random onset of nosebleeds and a disturbing recurring nightmare._

“I’d love if we could get together for brunch after Mass this week. I’m curious to see how you and Fox are doing now that you’re partners again.”

  
Hearing the barely concealed delight in her voice on the word ‘partner’, Scully shakes her head, sniffs.

“Anyway, give me a call when you can, sweetheart. Do your best to stay safe. I love you.”

  
Ending the playback Scully blinks back tears, then stands. Reaching for Kyle’s blood sample that Mulder had given her, she packs it in a small foam box to protect it. Looks over the form she’d filled out to order the series of tests.

  
Part of her wonders if she should take a sample of her own blood and add it to the remaining container slot. Run a few tests on herself as well. Her nose had bled again in the shower, and she thanked God repeatedly Mulder’s suggestion that he join her had just been that, a suggestion.

  
She couldn’t face him or her mother yet regarding the situation. Not when she couldn’t even face it herself. At least this trip to Indiana would serve as a distraction. Even a temporary one was better than nothing.

She’s almost through packing when she hears a knock. Swipes at her eyes, face with a nearby tissue.

  
“Scully? You almost ready?”

  
“Yeah. Almost.”

  
Opening the door a crack, once seeing she’s dressed Mulder steps further into the bedroom.

  
“I booked us a 7:00 flight to Indianapolis. We’ll have a bit of a drive once we land but we’ve dealt with worse.”

  
“Sure. That sounds fine.”

  
“Did you call your mom?” he asks.

  
“Yeah. She sends her love.”

  
“How’d her last checkup go? Everything check out okay?”

  
“Yeah,” Scully says softly. “She’s fine. Are you ready to go?” she asks, getting a nod.

  
“Turns out my office overnight bag doubles as a overnight road trip bag in a pinch. I’m set.”

  
“Good. Let’s head out then, okay?”

  
Hastily zipping her bag she looks ready to bolt out of the room, to Mulder’s concern.

  
“You sure everything’s alright, Scully?”

  
“Everything’s fine,” she insists as she brushes past him, forgetting to turn off the bedroom light. Flicking off the switch for her, Mulder really, desperately wants to believe it. 

 

…

 

Once touching down in Indianapolis, Scully makes a run for the ladies room. Leaving Mulder to wait outside with her suitcase. When she takes longer than her usual lightning fast time in a public restroom, he frowns. Wonders if he should go in to check on her.   
  
She’d been tense and paler than usual the entire flight. He knew she hated flying and that this trip in particular had been rough, featuring a lot of turbulence that had her reaching for his hand. He’d held her’s happily, but expected more conversation as opposed to the worrisome silence he got from her. Normally she’d chat with him in depth about the inflight magazine to distract herself. This time she just took her stress out on his phalanges.

  
His fingers were granted a short break when she’d tried to take a nap, but her eyes hadn’t been closed for an hour before she’d started mumbling, shouting out in her sleep. Mulder had woken her up, wanting to ensure she didn’t scream loud enough to frighten other passengers. As soon as she came to she made a run for the airplane restroom, covering her nose and mouth with a cocktail napkin.

When she’d walked back down the aisle the lights flickered in the cabin and she all but leaped back into her seat. Mulder knew it was their first case back, and that the case was an unsettling one at that. But as long as he’d known Scully she’d never been this combination of closed off while simultaneously cowering in the corner. His stoic, skeptic scientific partner was someplace else. And it had him scared to death.

Two minutes more go by and he’s ready to go in the ladies room after her before she emerges. Looking as pale, if not more, than she did when she entered.

  
“Scully, what the hell is going on? Are you sick?”

  
“I’m fine, Mulder. I got a phone call I needed to take.”

  
“In the ladies room?”

  
“My phone rang and I answered. It’s not the most gruesome place I’ve taken a call in,” she shrugs, walking with him to the rental car pickup area.

  
“What was so urgent?”

  
“The doctor I asked to test Kyle’s blood said she’d send the results to the closest local hospital to us while we’re here.”

  
“She couldn’t just tell you them over the phone?’

  
“It’s just procedure, Mulder. She’s already putting a rush on getting the results for me. Isn’t that enough?”

  
“Yeah, sure. Fine. Whatever,” he shrugs. Holds up his hand not holding his overnight bag in defense.

  
“Fine. Let’s get the car then.”

…

Once behind the wheel of the rented SUV, Mulder presents Scully with an I Heart Indiana baseball cap, a bag of dark chocolate and the biggest bottle of artesian water he could get his hands on in the airport gift shop. He’d picked up the items while she picked up the car, and hoped they’d brighten her mood, even a little.

  
“Mulder…”

  
“You like?”

  
“This water bottle alone cost you at least eight dollars.”

  
“Yeah, but I got the cap for half price. Made up for it.”

  
“You bargain shopping at airport gift shops now, Mulder?”

  
“Only the best for you, Scully. I figured the Ghirardelli Special Dark was a safe bet, too.”

  
“You know me too well.”

  
“That’s right. I knew if I didn’t get you some kind of a distraction you’d want to drive. I doubted the Indianapolis police force would be prepared for that outcome.”

  
“My driving is fine, Mulder. You had no complaints the other night!”

  
“Because I was too busy fearing for my life.”

  
Met with a glare he smiles, places the navy blue cap on top of Scully’s head. Pulling down the rim she rolls her eyes, proceeds to grab and open up the bag of chocolate.

  
Once getting on the highway Mulder flips on the radio. Scans the presets looking for a classical station. Reaching a decent one it does the job in eventually lulling Scully to sleep. It’s a quiet, scenic drive until they reach the "Welcome To Hawkins" sign and she stirs, hearing the radio go static.

  
“What happened to Grieg's 'Last Spring'?” she mutters.

  
“It became snowy winter, Scully. Hang on…”

  
Scanning for a clear station, the first one that comes in is blaring Modern English. Grinning, Mulder turns up the volume, officially waking Scully.

  
“Sorry to wake you up but you timed it well.”

  
“For what, eighties throwback hour?”

  
“Scully, you know what?”

  
“What, Mulder?”

  
“I’ll stop the world and melt with you.”

  
“Yeah, well. Turn up the A.C, you’re melting my chocolate,” she scoffs, holding up the bag as Mulder rolls his eyes. When "Melt With You" transitions into "Africa" he goes to turn up the volume, is met with a look.

“Mulder, no.”

  
“Scully, it’s a classic. May not be Three Dog Night but c’mon.”

  
Humoring him, Scully reclines in her seat, unwraps a piece of chocolate as he sings along, tries to get her to join in. When the next song riff comes on though she sits up eagerly, considering serenading him for the first time since that night in the forest.

  
“No, _this_ is a classic, Mulder,” she grins. Cranking up the volume for “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” and rolling the window down. 

  
“You go through a punk phase there, Agent Scully?”

  
“Being a Clash fan doesn’t automatically mean you had a punk phase, Mulder.”

  
Seeing her bite her lower lip Mulder grins, laughs out loud.

  
“No way, Scully. I need photographic evidence of this.”

  
“There was nothing to see! I just had some piercings, and…maybe a bit of a mohawk with bangs and…”

  
“That’s it. I’m calling your mom to text a picture.”

  
“Mulder!!”

  
“I’m calling her now! She’ll be thrilled to hear from me.”

  
“Mulder, if you pull this car over to call my mother, I swear I’ll-“

  
When she abruptly goes from loudly threatening him to stone cold silent, her hand flying to her nose and mouth, Mulder’s smile immediately goes serious.

  
“Scully…”

  
“Pull over.”

  
“What the…are you…”

  
“That store on the corner. I need you to pull over now!”

  
“Shit, Scully!”

  
Getting to the side of the road as quickly as he’s safely able to, Mulder yells after Scully as she jumps out of the car, makes a break for the grocery store entrance.

  
Shaking his head he parks the car by the curb, bewildered. Doesn’t even spot the smear of blood on the baseball cap she left in the seat.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the latest installment of this mess of a fic. I appreciate all the feedback more than you'll know! This chapter is a bit shorter and angstier but the start of the crossing over is coming up next!

When Scully exits the store, armed with a story in place for Mulder’s guaranteed line of questioning, she sees him leaning against the SUV with his sunglasses on, suit jacket draped over his arm. He looks like he’s walked out of a fucking GQ ad. She wishes she was in the right state of mind to appreciate it more.

 

Approaching him she shakes her head, lets out a snort.

 

“You ready to hit the road, G-Man?”

 

“Are you?” he asks turning towards her. An anxious look on his face that makes him look more lost puppy than magazine model. 

 “Mulder, I’m-“

"Quit saying you’re fine, Scully. You were white as a sheet when you left the car, and don’t exactly look like the picture of health now.”

 “I got carsick.”

“Since when do you get carsick?”

 “Since now, alright? Look, I’m feeling better now. Can we just get in the car and stop attracting attention to ourselves?”

 Realizing she has a point, Mulder bows his head. Takes a breath to try and regain his composure. 

 “You’re right, I’m sorry. You just scared the shit out of me back there.”

 “Obviously. I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to get sick all over the passenger seat of the rental.”

 “Well for the sake of the rest of the road trip I’m glad you didn’t. C’mon, let’s go.”

 “Mulder, wait.”

 “What’s wrong now?”

 “Nothing, I just…the hospital. I’m sure the results on Kyle will be ready for us soon.”

 “Alright, lets head on over there then.”

 “I think I should go alone.”

 “Why?”

 “I just think if we have to wait for them that your time would be better spent exploring the town. Figure out why it’s all eighties all the time on the radio, for instance.”

 “You want us to split up so I can investigate a radio station?”

 “And other aspects of this place, Mulder. What would you be doing here right now if I hadn’t agreed to come along?”

 “Lying helpless in a ditch somewhere?”

 “Mulder, I’m serious.”

 “Well I’m serious too, Scully. Look, what did you expect to happen when we agreed to resume our partnership? That there was a statute of limitations on partners acting like partners?”

 “Mulder, you’re still my partner. And it’s not as if this is the first time we’ve ever gone our separate ways during a case.”

 “Scully, that’s not-“

 “Look, I just think our time will be better spent doing this. You take in the town and I get the results back. Then we can go from there.”

 “Where exactly? You go to the east side of town and I hit up the west? Is that really how you want to handle this?”

 “For now, yes.”

 “Just work separately the entire trip? Meet up for the occasional meal to compare notes?”

 “Mulder, you don’t have to be like that.”

 “Well how should I be, Scully? Happy you want to ditch me five minutes into the case?”

 “I don’t know, Mulder. How do you think I felt each time you ditched me on a case?” Scully retorts. 

 Not taking the bait, Mulder takes another slow breath in, out.

 “Scully, I think for this case especially we really ought to stick close to each other.”

 “I disagree.”

 “Well you’re gotten used to going it alone. Been at it for awhile now. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’ve begun to enjoy it.”

 “Mulder…”

 “Although you and Tad O’Malley seemed to be getting cozy. Maybe alone isn’t quite so appealing when you’ve got a handsome pundit with a limo and champagne at your beck and call.”

 Eyes narrowed, Scully approaches Mulder, seriously considering throwing a punch at the smug look on his face.

Instead of attracting unneeded attention to herself though she opts to go with her original plan.

Yanking the keys from his hand she steps around him to the driver’s side of the car. Unlocking it before jumping in.

 “Scully, what the hell are you -“

 “Well. Looks like my little feet _can_ reach the pedals,” she spits, pulling the car away from the curb and driving off. She only slows down at the yellow light to throw his overnight bag out the window.

 “Damn it! Scully! SCULLY!”

 She can hear him yelling her name over the Bangles song now blaring from the stereo, but is too busy sniffing back blood and tears to pay it or him any mind. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally have an update for this. Thanks so much for all the feedback! This chapter is a bit longer but I had a lot to say. Hope that's alright. :)

Wandering in an aimless fashion around town, his bag slung over his right shoulder, Mulder knows he’s attracting attention. He wishes he could bring himself to care. Women, a few of them dressed in rather dated looking outfits, are eying him curiously as he walks by. But he couldn’t care less. The only attention he wants from a woman is from the one who had driven off twenty minutes ago. At the speed she'd be going she’d reach the airport in another twenty. Catch a flight back to D.C later this afternoon. Put in her two weeks tonight. 

  
After everything he had said, the words playing on loop in his mind to persistently remind him how much of an jerk he’d been, Mulder couldn’t blame Scully for ditching in the slightest. 

  
Suddenly the sky opens and it starts raining. Looking around the main drag, he ducks into a nearby pizza place. Opts to wait it out there until the storm passes.

  
Once inside, the smell of the food getting the better of him Mulder pulls up a chair at the counter. The last thing he’d eaten had been a bag of pretzels on the flight in, and the pizza and fried food aroma was making his mouth water.

  
After sitting, ordering and paying for a slice with pepperoni he glances around the restaurant. The place is mostly dead aside from some almost teenagers in the back by the arcade games and foozeball table. Mulder knows if he was twelve and had a place like this within bike riding distance, he’d be doing the same damn thing right now.

  
Sipping on his water he overhears the two boys having a heated discussion by the pinball machine.

  
“What on Earth made you take a snack break now, Dustin? You quit playing mid-level and what, think I can just take over?!” Lucas yells, trying his best to advance in the game, keep their high score on that particular machine intact.

  
“You kept looking over my shoulder and backseat playing anyway! I thought that you could handle it!”

  
“Not while you take a year eating that pizza,” he snaps as Dustin shoots him a glare.

  
“If I eat too fast it gives me a stomach ache. And if I don’t eat and keep my blood sugar up you know what happens to me!”

  
“Look, I don’t really care about your freaking blood sugar right now.”

  
“You saw what happened to me that day at school when I got one bologna sandwich in my lunch instead of two. It was a disaster.”

  
“No, this level is a disaster.”

  
Shaking his head, Lucas hits the side of the machine in frustration, seeing they’re almost out of time.

  
“I don’t know what you expected, but there’s no damn way I’m replaying the last six levels to get back our high score.”  
  


“So you’ll just let Troy and the mouth breathers get it and lord over us at school?” Dustin asks between bites.

  
“What’s to say they’re gonna come here and play the game anyway? They’re probably out finding kittens to drown or something.” Lucas scoffs.

  
“You know once they realize Eleven is gone they’re gonna try and come after us again.”

  
“Look, we may not have her in our corner anymore but my cousin’s a cop. If they mess with us again we can call him up. He told me so.”

  
“You have a cousin who’s a cop!” Dustin sputters. “That knowledge might’ve come in handy when we were freaking fugitives!”

  
Hearing the one boy shriek-whisper about being a fugitive, Mulder frowns, looks curiously in their direction before standing up, going over to the men’s room.

  
“He was in training during all that. I told you already! And I’m gonna tell you again that unless you finish that pizza in two seconds our high score is history.”

  
“My fingers are covered in grease and I still have a half slice left.”

  
“Screw the half slice! We’re almost out of time before the game resets!”

  
“Food comes first, Lucas. Always," Dustin says firmly. When he finally finishes the pizza he walks over to the pop machine, refills his Dr. Pepper.

  
“Hey, Tony told us we’re not supposed to get free refills.” Lucas reminds, getting a look from his friend.

  
“Tony also told you not to punch out the pinball machine when you lose. When you start listening to him I will.”

  
Walking back to the table, trying to secure the lid on his pop, Dustin doesn’t see Mulder out of the corner of his eye and walks straight into him. Spills the drink down the front of his white button down in the process. 

  
“Oh…shit! Mister I…”

  
“No it’s alright. It was just an accident,” Mulder sighs, taking off his jacket to hang on a nearby chair. 

  
“It’s not alright! You’re wearing Armani!”

  
“I’ll grab some napkins,” Lucas says, running over and grabbing a wad of them off the counter. “Here you go, sir.”

  
“Thanks. And you don’t have to call me sir,” Mulder says, taking them and doing his best to sponge the spill off himself.

  
“Well I saw your badge and holster and, uh…”

  
“Oh, shit..” Dustin mutters. “Shit. I spilled pop all over a Fed in Armani.”

  
“Hey, it’s alright. Really. I’ve come up against worse.”

  
Tossing the napkins out in the trash can, Mulder gets a better look at the game they’re playing.

  
“God, the last time I played this was ages ago.”

  
“Were you any good?” Lucas asks, moving to stand by him.

  
“I could hold my own, yeah.”

  
“Want to help him out?” Dustin asks, earning a glare from his friend.

  
“Dustin, if you hadn’t needed a snack we wouldn’t need help. Besides he’s probably here on business.” Lucas hints, getting a nervous look from his friend.

  
“Look, we didn’t do anything wrong. Okay? I mean the drink refill wasn’t exactly paid for but…”

  
“Guys, I’m off duty right now, alright?” Mulder says, trying not to laugh. “Look, the only thing that’s wrong here is this high score being so pathetic.”

  
“You think you can do better?” Lucas asks defensively.

  
“Are you really challenging an Armani wearing Fed right now?” Dustin hisses.

  
“Hey, settle down. He isn’t challenging but I’ll accept.” Mulder says, resetting the game. His rustiness shows though when he can’t get beyond the second level.

  
“Well, look what your accepting is doing for us,” Lucas snorts.

  
“Hey, give me a second here," Mulder snaps. "It’s only been thirty years since I last played.”

  
“Wow. The Armani Fed’s old,” Dustin murmurs, earning a look from Mulder before he turns back around, resets the game again. This time he manages to advance to level eight without batting an eye.   
  
"Yeah, old but I still got it," Mulder grins as the boys look on, awestruck.

  
“Dude.”

  
“Okay I’m washing this grease off my hands and you’re showing me how you did that,” Dustin declares, running off to clean up.

  
“Alright, sure,” Mulder shrugs, moving up to another level as Lucas looks on approvingly.

  
“It’s not like I got anything else to get back to.”

 

…

 

After driving to the hospital, waiting around for results that she learned hadn’t even been mailed out yet, Scully jumps back in the car and starts driving, the classical station playing through the radio. She was at a loss as to what to do next, aside from buying herself a CD of anything that wasn’t eighties music. 

  
When she reaches a red light she reaches for her phone, frowns at the spotty service. For some reason in this area her signal is all but dead. She wants to blame the lack of missed calls and messages from Mulder on that, but knows if he’d thrown her stuff from a fucking moving car, she wouldn’t be eager to call him back either.

  
Shaking her head she trades her phone for her baseball cap. Slips it on knowing full well there’s the blood on the brim. At least fighting with Mulder got him out of the car and away from seeing the stain, she reasons. Then mentally scolds herself thinking she’d rather be in a fight with him than have him worry for her, pity her. 

  
Knowing her therapist will be earning her fee at their next session she scoffs, then swears at the radio going static again.

  
“Shit. C’mon now. C’mon,” 

  
After fiddling with the tuning knob the radio comes in clear for the Clash, again. Opting to just leave it Scully turns up the volume, continues driving down the road that’s surrounded by dense looking forest. She keeps driving until seeing something out of the corner of her eye. It’s metallic, catching the light off to the side of the road. Frowning, once getting closer she realizes it’s a bike. A boy’s tipped over bike.

  
“What the…”

  
Pulling off to the side of the road, triple checking her surroundings while doing so in case the rider is nearby, Scully parks. Exiting the car with her phone in hand she approaches, crouches down beside the bike. Not seeing blood she breaths a sigh of relief until she looks up, sees a figure crouched on the side of the road.

  
“Excuse me? Is this your bike? Are you alright?”

  
Not getting a response she runs over, sees a small, dark haired boy no older then thirteen doubled over and clutching his stomach.

  
“Listen, I’m a medical doctor, I can help you. Can you tell me what happened?”

  
Shaking his head the boy curls up smaller, prompting Scully to stroke his hair back that’s slick with sweat.

  
“Sweetheart, try and talk to me if you can. I can’t help you unless you-“

  
When he starts gagging, makes a retching sound Scully rubs his back, runs down a list of potential maladies in her mind.

  
“Shh, it’s okay. Look we’ll get you to to the hospital. Get you checked out,” she assures as he coughs, sputters before taking a breath. Wiping his mouth he shakes her off, tries to stand but his knees wobble and he sways, collapses.

  
“Oh my God..” Scully gasps. Rushing over she catches him before he falls. He’s a small kid and she’s able to easily hold onto, gently lower him to the ground. Seeing he’s still breathing, albeit weakly she checks his pulse, feels around his head for any bumps. Not finding any she palpates his stomach with one hand all the while dialing 911 with the other.

  
Trying and failing to get a signal though she hangs up, throws the phone down.

  
“Son of a… _shit_.”

  
Opening the back door of the SUV she manages to lift the boy, get him in the backseat. Once he’s secured she rushes over, jumps in the drivers seat before driving right back in the direction of the hospital.

Checking in her rear view she bites her lip, looks warily at her newfound patient.

  
“It’s okay, honey. It’s gonna be okay.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. Life and a sinus infection decided to interfere. This isn't that big a chapter but more is on its way. I promise. Thanks so much for all the feedback! :)

After helping the boys reach a previously unreached level in the game, taking Dustin’s blood sugar into account, Mulder springs for a pepperoni pizza and some fries for the three of them to share.  
  
  
Grabbing some extra napkins from the counter, on his walk back to the table he sees something fall out of Dustin’s pocket, then roll towards him across the tile floor.

  
Bending down Mulder picks up the small compass, sets it by Dustin’s plate.

  
“Saw this got away from you.”

  
“Oh!” Grabbing it Dustin sheepishly returns it to his jeans pocket.

  
“Thanks, Mulder."

  
“No problem. Why do you carry a compass around?” Mulder asks, dipping a fry in ketchup.

  
“Well it helped save our friend. Kind of…it helped us find the-“

  
Feeling a sharp kick under the table aimed at his leg, Dustin frowns at Lucas who frowns back, clears his throat before speaking.

  
“I carry stuff around like that, too. Stuff from the guys. Hanging onto stuff you get from your friends is important,” he says defensively.  
  
  
“I agree,” Mulder says.

  
“It’s for good luck. Plus it’s cool. Science and magnets and stuff, I think they’re cool,” Dustin adds before taking a bite of pizza.

  
“Yeah, I get that. My partner at the F.B.I is a scientist. I know she’d approve.”

  
“She’d probably approve of Mr. Clarke too," he snorts.   
  
  
Smiling, Lucas nods in agreement.

  
“Who’s Mr. Clarke?” Mulder asks.

  
“He’s our science teacher at school. And he runs A.V club.”

  
“A.V club. That brings me back,” he laughs.

  
“Were you in it?” Dustin asks.

  
“Kind of. I had some brainiac friends who called themselves the Lone Gunmen. They had their own version of A.V club, but it was run out of a crappy apartment that smelled like huevos rancheros.”

  
“It sounds awesome,” he says with a grin. 

  
“Yeah. It was. They helped my partner and I out a lot.”

  
“What kind of scientist is your partner?” Lucas asks.

  
“Scully’s a medical doctor. She taught at Quantico and worked for the Bureau as a pathologist.”

  
“Scully?” he frowns.

  
“Dana. Her name is Dana Scully. I just call her Scully because…it fits.”

  
“Hey, we’re not knocking it,” Dustin shrugs. “Our friend is named after the number Elev-“

  
“Anyway…this Scully…” Lucas interrupts. “She’s a biologist?”

  
“Well her undergrad degree was in Physics. She rewrote Einstein.” 

  
“Yeah, Mr. Clarke would love her.” he laughs.

  
“Maybe she knows about the flea and the acrobat.” Dustin says, getting a frown from Mulder.

  
“The flea and the acrobat?” Mulder repeats. “That has something to do with other dimensions right?”

  
Nodding, before Dustin can so much as speak Lucas kicks him in the shin again.

  
“Hey!”

  
“You try and fill him in on all that we’ll be here until midnight,” Lucas hisses, turning back to Mulder.

  
“Trust me, you get him talking about that stuff and there’s no stopping him.”

  
“He’s not alone when it comes to that,” Mulder snorts.

  
“Look the only reason I’m familiar is because of the cases I work at the F.B.I.”

  
“You bring in criminals that talk with you about other dimensions?” Lucas scoffs, getting a arched brow.

  
“You know, forget Mr. Clarke. I think you and Scully would really hit it off, Lucas.”

  
Mulder says, getting a grin from the boy.

  
“She and I work…well, worked in the X-Files division. We investigated cases involving the bizarre and the paranormal. Ones the rest of the Bureau didn’t want to be bothered with.”

  
“What kind of bizarre and paranormal?”

  
“Yeah? Like what kind of stuff have you seen?”

  
Not sure if he’s ready to get into a discussion with two kids about the existence of extraterrestrials, Mulder bites his lip, dips another fry in ketchup.

  
“Scully and I saw a lot of bizarre stuff. There was this one guy named Tooms, and this Flukeman thing…”

  
Trailing off, realizing it’s getting late and these kids are kids who have an evening bike ride through the woods ahead of them, he decides to hold off on sharing more detail.

  
“What about a Demigorgon? Ever seen one of those?” Dustin asks before Lucas can get a kick in.

  
“Did you say a demigor-“

  
“He didn’t say anything,” Lucas interjects, standing up.

  
“He didn’t. Look, it’s getting late, Dustin. We should probably get back.”

  
“Yeah, I think getting another order of fries may have been a mistake,” Mulder sighs.

  
“No, it’s cool. I didn’t feel like tuna noodle casserole for dinner anyway,” Lucas says with a smile, sliding on his jacket.

  
“Thanks for helping us with the game. And for not cuffing me for spilling Coke on your shirt.” Dustin smiles shyly.

  
“It’s fine. Get home safe, guys. Okay?”

  
“We will. See you around, Mulder.” 

  
No sooner do Lucas and Dustin head towards the door does someone run through it and past them. Quickly make her way to the counter.

  
“Tony? Tony, damn it! Get out here!” she exclaims, slamming her hand on a pile of menus. When the arcade owner doesn’t come running she swears, slams her hand down once more. Whipping around, she spots the boys standing by one of the tables.

  
“Oh my God. Boys, you need to to answer me and please, tell me the truth. Did Will come here with you after school today?”

  
“No. Not today,” Lucas answers, watching as the brunette’s eyes go wide. 

  
“When was the last time you saw him?”

  
“He left after science class today. Didn’t even stay after for A.V club.”

  
“Oh God. Oh my God…”

  
“Excuse me, is everything alright?” Mulder asks, approaching the woman who’s crouched down in front of the boys, her hand clasped tightly over her mouth. 

  
Shaking her head Joyce stands up, supporting herself on the table with her free hand.

  
“Ma’am, what’s the problem? If you tell me maybe I can try and help.”

  
Turning her towards him Mulder looks on nervously. Her entire body is trembling and she looks ready to burst into tears.

  
“This is not happening. This can’t be happening again! It can’t! I-“

  
“What can’t be happening again?” he asks, trying to keep calm. For her sake and especially for the boys who are looking petrified. 

  
“Look, I want to help you but I can’t start to unless you tell-“

  
“It’s my son, alright!” Joyce snaps before her voice cracks. Shaking her head she avoids Mulder’s touch, wraps her arms around herself as she shivers.

  
“He’s gone. My son’s gone missing. Again.”

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay as promised here's the latest! This chapter kind of took on a life of it's own, and I became pretty emotional while writing it. Just giving you a warning. Thanks so much for all the consistent feedback! More to come soon. :)

Pacing back and forth in the waiting area, Scully checks her watch, swears before perching on the edge of a nearby bench. It’s been a half hour since she ran into the hospital holding Will like he was a limp rag doll. Twenty five minutes since they wheeled him off into an exam room on a gurney. 

  
Despite her flashing her badge and shouting her credentials at the nurses she wasn’t permitted to enter the exam room. 

  
She knew she could have easily left after they turned her away, (and that the staff here likely would’ve welcomed it) Short of treating the boy herself she’d lived up to her responsibilities as a physician. She’d done all she could for him while he was in her care, then made sure he received prompt emergency medical attention. 

  
Eventually the staff would learn who he was. His parents or guardian would be contacted. Scully’s part in this entire situation was fast approaching over. But she couldn’t make herself move an inch. She was too curious, too concerned, and felt compelled to stick close. See for herself that this child would be alright.

  
Looking up, recognizing the nurse that had accompanied Will into his room Scully stands up, approaches her. “How is he?”

  
“Ma’am, as I said before I’m not permitted to disclose-“

  
“I’m a licensed medical doctor, Nurse Watkins. I’m the reason this boy is being treated right now. At least tell me if he’s regained consciousness.”

  
“He is stable and resting comfortably. That’s all I can tell you.”

  
“Have you figured out who he is?” Scully asks. “Have you been in touch with his family?”

  
“We were just about to hand the situation over to the police. Fill them in about the John Doe.”

  
“Hand the situation to them?” Scully scoffs. “ _The_ _John_ _Doe_? That boy in there is a patient, your patient! And you’re making him sound like he’s a problem!”

  
“It’s procedure, Ms. Scully.”

  
“ _Dr._ Scully.” she corrects, her voice low and controlled even though she’s ready to fight this tall blonde in the hallway.

  
“And you can’t just write off the way you’re handling this as procedure. There’s a child in that room and you’re treating him and this situation like trash you don’t want to be bothered with.”

  
“Dr. Scully, I’m doing the best I can for this patient.”

  
“Then why are you out here when he’s lying unattended to in there? He’s an unaccompanied minor in a hospital bed. At the very least have support staff on hand while you make your goddamned call.”

  
Brushing past her into Will’s room, Scully walks up, grabs his chart from the foot of the bed.

  
“Ma’am! You are not permitted to-“

  
“If anyone asks questions I’m his fill in primary physician. I’m not about to wait in the hall when there’s a sick boy in here by himself.”

  
“This sick boy was attended to,” Watkins snaps. “And while I’m making my call I can send in another doctor to supervise him.”

  
“I’m the doctor who transported him here,” Scully replies, her eyes flicking up from the chart to give the taller woman an icy glare.

  
“I was also on the scene when he collapsed. I’m sure I’ll be of more use to the family when they arrive and ask for answers than whatever shill you send in here to replace me.”

  
“Fine. I…if anyone asks, you’re his fill in. I’m not up to a damn argument,”  the nurse snaps, turning to leave.

  
“Excuse me, Nurse Watkins?”

  
“Yes?”

  
“I realize you’re not up for a damn argument but I do have a few questions, as the patient’s fill in primary physician.”

  
“Fine. What?”

  
“What was the determined cause of his stomach cramps?” Scully asks, not seeing a clearcut answer in the chart.

  
“There was no sign of appendicitis, any other gastrointestinal issues. All the tests we ran came back negative. No signs of any preexisting conditions.”

  
“What was the course of treatment given to stabilize him?”

  
“Intravenous fluids, a low dose painkiller to prevent any future episodes of the cramping. It has a mild sedative as well.”

  
“So there’s no alternative explanation for his cramps and resulting loss of consciousness aside from dehydration?”

  
“None that we could find.”

  
“His vitals seem normal now,” Scully muses, grabbing a nearby stethoscope before pressing it to, then palpating the boys stomach.

  
“No signs of any lingering distress.”

  
“Yeah. He’s stable. Like I said,” Watkins says, earning a chilly stare.

  
“I recommend he stay overnight for observation. We should let the parents or guardian know when we make contact with them.”

  
“Yeah, I’ll get right on that. Soon as we find out who the hell they are.”

  
“You can make that call to the police any time now,” Scully reminds.

  
“With what? That lame John Doe story you tore me a new one over?” Watkins snorts, crossing her arms.

  
“Look, I know Hawkins. Unless Hopper’s on duty the cops are useless. We need to put a name to the face or nobody’s coming for this kid.” she sighs. 

“Was there anything to ID him on the scene? Besides his bike?”

  
“Nothing that I noticed, no.” Scully frowns, securing the stethoscope around her neck before picking up Will’s chart again. 

  
“You were probably distracted when you were there. Dealing with a gagging and fainting kid and all.”

  
“Did I mention that I’m with the F.B.I, Nurse Watkins?” Scully asks, glancing up from the file at the woman. 

  
“No. You didn’t get around to telling me during your lecture,” Watkins snorts, a hint of admiration in her eyes.

  
“I’m trained to find evidence at scenes, and trained not to get distracted. If something had been on site to I.D this child I would have found it,” Scully says simply. “Did you go through his personal items? Search his clothing, pockets?”

  
“We checked the sweatshirt and jeans pockets. Nothing was on him.”

  
Walking over to the table with Will’s clothes, Scully starts rifling through the pile, retrieves his jacket.

  
“I checked the pockets there, too.”

  
“Even the interior ones?” she asks, turning the jacket inside out and finding a hidden zipper.

  
“Didn’t happen to see that. How did you-“

  
“I had two brothers who would smuggle everything from candy to cigarettes in their coats. They’d manage to get whatever they were hiding past our parents, but my older sister knew to search their pockets. She’d turn around and smuggle what they had into our room every night,” Scully says with a smile, earning a laugh from the nurse.

  
“Plus I have a partner who likes pocketing evidence. There were nights I’d have to search him, too.”

  
“I thought you Feds weren’t supposed to get involved in that kind of way.”

  
Responding with a smirk that soon goes sad, Scully turns her focus to prying the child’s wallet out of the small pocket.

  
Once retrieving it she unzips and un-velcroes it, takes out some baseball cards, a crumpled ten dollar bill, a small, surprisingly detailed sketch of a faceless, tall, dare she say alien looking creature, and a laminated rectangular card.

  
“What’s that?”

  
“See for yourself,” Scully smiles, holding up a library card. 

  
Approaching, Watkins takes hold of it, squints.

  
“The writing on it is all smudged. I can only make out a few letters in the last name.”

  
“At least it’s a short last name. We have four out of five letters that are legible.”

  
“Yeah, guess those are good odds.”

  
“I’ll go phone it in in case they ask about where he was found. Which officer should I ask for again?”

  
“Hopper. The other guys though might be able to help if you give them the name.”

  
“Alright. Keep a close eye on my patient, Watkins. I’ll be right back.”

  
Exiting Will’s room Scully runs over to the closest nurse’s station. Cuts behind the desk before grabbing the phone, dialing.

  
“Hawkins P.D.”

  
“Hello, my name is Dana Scully. I’m calling to report a found boy just admitted to Hawkins General Hospital. According to his library card his last name is spelled B…Y…E…R….”

  
“Byers?”

  
“Yes. The first name is illegible on the card but the boy has dark brown hair and brown eyes. He’s got a slight build, he’s small. Can’t be more than thirteen years-“

  
“Ah. Must be William then.”

  
“I…I’m sorry. You…you said his name’s W…William?” she asks after a beat. Her voice cracks on the too familiar name as her right hand chokes the receiver. The knuckles on her left whiten as she grips the round of the desk.

  
“Yeah. Goes by Will though. Will Byers. He’s a pretty famous name in this town.”

  
“Oh, really?”

  
“Yes. He just turned twelve a few months back, and given his story it was a darned near miracle he did.”

  
Nodding, Scully blinks back tears, glances across the hall at the room that Watkins was just paged out of.

  
“His mom will be glad to know he’s alright. He is alright, right?”

  
“Yes. He…he’s going to be fine.”

  
“That’s good. I’ll send Hopper out for her now.”

  
“Tell her…tell his mother I…I’ll keep a close eye on him until she arrives.”

  
“Will do Ms. Scully.”

  
Hanging up the phone Scully makes her way back across the hall to Will’s room. Seeing a orderly filling in for Watkins, who acknowledges her as Will’s fill in primary, after the man leaves Scully grabs the chart again along with a pen.  
  
Writing Will’s full first name across the top dotted line, her hand shakes but she composes herself, fills in the last name after a beat. 

  
Putting the chart back she pulls a chair over to his bedside. She scans the monitors, his vitals, checks his pulse, listens to his breathing. But doesn’t and can’t bring herself to stop her hand that moves of its own accord, brushes the boy's bangs out of his eyes.

_  
His mother’s on her way. He has brown eyes. He’s twelve. Not fifteen. He has brown eyes, not blue. He’s twelve years old. His mother’s on her way. Mrs. Byers is on her way. He goes by Will._

_  
He goes by Will._

  
Still absentmindedly stroking his hair she blinks back tears, moves her mouth to softly sing over the low beeps and hums of the monitors.

 

“William was a bull frog. 

Was a good friend of mine. 

Never understood a single word he said, 

but I helped him drink his wine.

 

Joy…to the world. 

All the boys and girls. 

Joy to the fishes and the deep blue sea. 

Joy to you and me…”

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in getting this update out, I was struggling with it for awhile. There's not much action in this update but more is coming soon. I promise!

Seated at the counter, Mulder was doing his best to console the brunette next to him who was nervously puffing on a cigarette. His theory that Hawkins was in an off grid/ time warp situation was nearly proven by the fact Joyce was smoking in a restaurant. He was half tempted to bum one off of her just to calm his nerves, but wasn’t about to promote the habit in front of the boys who were playing a round of foozball. 

  
“Listen, Mrs. Byers. You’ve done everything you can. We notified the authorities, your older son is back at the house. All the bases are covered.”

  
“I should be out there searching for him!” Joyce growls, putting the cigarette out in a nearby ash tray with a trembling hand.

  
“Instead I’m sitting here with some GQed up Fed who keeps trying to force a crappy slice of pizza down my throat!”

  
“You haven’t eaten since you found out your son went missing. You said so yourself when you almost passed out five minutes ago. For your own sake and for his just eat the pizza,” Mulder sighs, moving the ashtray to the side and pushing the plate of food and a bottle of water in front of Joyce. 

  
“Do you have children, Mr. Mulder?” she asks, staring intently at the pizza before peeling the pepperoni slices off one by one.

  
“I…a son. I have a son.”

  
“Well, if he went missing how would you feel if a stranger told you to park your ass at a filthy arcade counter and wait to hear from the cops?!” she snaps.

  
“If I knew my son and his best friends made that filthy arcade their second home I’d be fine waiting at least five minutes.”

  
“I’ve been here for fifteen.”

  
“And haven’t made any progress with that pizza," Mulder scoffs. "Fine, we can just sit and let the cheese coagulate even more.”

  
“It’s been sitting under a warming light for the past five hours. If it coagulates any more it’ll grow legs and walk out of here.”

  
“And you’ll probably be joining it. Even after a F.B.I agent strongly advises you not to.”

  
“I don’t need to be advised not to follow walking mozzarella cheese, Agent Mulder,” Joyce snorts, reaching for the bottle of water.

  
“No?”

  
“I need to be advised on how not to lose my damn mind over my boy disappearing on me. Again.”

  
“I’m not the best person to ask, Mrs. Byers.”

  
“It’s Joyce. Call me Joyce.”

  
“I will if you just call me Mulder.”

  
“Fine. Mulder.”

  
Uncapping the water Joyce takes a slow sip.

  
“I can’t handle losing him a second time. He knows that. He knows. He comes home straight from school. He always tells me where he’s going. He calls from a friends house if he’s going to be late. He…he…”

  
When she trails off, chokes back a sob Mulder reaches over, rubs her shoulder reassuringly. Jerking away Joyce gets to her feet, shakes her head.

  
“If you’re a federal agent you can be out there helping with the search! You _should_ be out there!”

  
“Fine, alright. I can do that. Whatever the local cops need. But I guarantee if you try and come along they’ll send you home to wait for your son.”

  
Rolling her eyes she laughs without humor. 

  
“You don’t know Hopper. After everything he and I saw together the last time Will disappeared? Everything he looked into based off what I told him? Everything that nobody else believed? He knows better than to just send me home during something like this!"

  
“Oh yeah?” Mulder asks, getting a nod.

  
“We worked together to find Will. I told him afterward we ought to partner up, start looking into otherworldly, paranormal, conspiracies full time.”

  
“Really? Because my division at the Bureau could use some-“

  
“Joyce,” A tall, uniformed man interrupts, entering the arcade and approaching her.

  
“Hopper? What’s going on, did you find-“

  
“He’s fine,” Hopper says, the soft smile on his face reaching his eyes.

  
“He…he’s fine?” Joyce repeats, clasping her shaking hand to her mouth as Hopper nods again.

  
“He’s at Hawkins General. A woman called, said she found him and brought him in when it looked like he fell off his bike.”

  
“He fell off his bike? Was he-“

  
“Dehydrated. It’s been ninety degrees lately, I keep telling these kids…”

  
Trailing off when Joyce runs up, hugs him tightly, Hopper smiles, pats her on the back.

  
“He’s okay, Joyce. Will’s okay.”

  
Glancing over her shoulder at the stranger in a suit, smile fading he breaks the embrace. 

  
“You in town on business?” he asks Mulder, seeing the badge and gun at his side.

  
“Just passing through with my partner. The name’s Mulder.”

  
Reaching over he shakes Hopper’s hand, is met with a sturdy grip.

  
“Jim Hopper.”

  
“Well, you should get Joyce over to see her son.”

  
“Yeah and get these kids outta here, will ya?” a voice asks gruffly from behind the counter.

  
“Take it easy, Tony. They’re fine,” Hopper mutters.

  
“They’ve been here since school let out and I’m getting ready to close!” Tony shouts as Dustin and Lucas grab their jackets, scatter outside.

  
“Tony, it's late and getting dark. The least you could do is let them call their parents for a ride home!" Joyce scolds.

  
“I’ll make sure they get back safe,” Mulder offers. "It's my fault they've been here as long as they have anyway. They wanted to know how I advanced to level fifteen in Galaxy Battle."

  
"You'll have to show me that sometime," Hopper laughs as he and Joyce head outside. "C'mon, I'm parked out front. It was nice to meet you, Agent Mulder."

  
"Likewise, Chief Hopper. It was nice meeting you too, Joyce. I'm glad Will's alright."

  
"Yeah. Me too," Joyce says, giving him a tearful smile before exiting the arcade with Hopper.   
  
Turning back to the counter, Mulder's in the middle of settling up the bill with Tony when he hears some taunting going on outside. Frowning, he drops some money on the counter before looking out the front door. Sees Lucas and Dustin up against a group of boys. All of whom look like they would've made Mulder's life miserable back when he was twelve years old.

  
 "Shit."

...  
  
"Freaking mouth breathers,” Dustin mutters, quickly moving to unlock his bike while Lucas does the same.

  
“Where you going, Toothless?” Troy asks, he and his posse approaching them both on their bikes as Lucas steps in front of his friend.

  
“Look just back off, alright? Geez, don’t you have some kittens to drown or something?”

  
“Where’s your little bald girlfriend at?” Troy sneers as he dismounts his bike. Earning a glare from Dustin.

  
“She wasn’t bald. Her head was shaved and it looked awesome!"

  
“Look at that, Toothless is trying to show he’s got bite. Guess with that bald freak girl not around to protect you you’re desperate.”

  
“We don’t need protection. What we need is for you to get the hell out of our way. Now,” Lucas says firmly, trying to brush past Troy only to see a flash of metal sticking out of his pocket.

  
“Why? Gotta get home? Make sure you don’t wind up in the lake like that friend of yours?”

  
“Shut up and move,” Lucas says, trying not to sound as threatened as he feels.

  
“Make me,” Troy hisses, motioning for his friends to step closer right as Mulder steps out of the arcade. 

  
“I suggest you listen to Mr. Sinclair here and move,” he says calmly, getting a snort from one of the boys.

  
“Yeah? Who the hell are you? Their bodyguard?”

  
Rolling his eyes Mulder moves to stand between the two group, flashes his badge and his weapon.

  
“I’m a federal agent. One that you really shouldn’t be making threats in front of.”

  
“C’mon, Troy. Let’s just go, okay?”

  
“No!” Troy snaps, breaking out of his buddy’s hold to glare at Mulder. “Look, their crazy friend snapped my wrist in half! But you’re standing here protecting them?!”

  
Getting down to Troy’s level Mulder scoffs, shakes his head.

  
“If I was really protecting them I’d throw you in juvenile detention for attempted assault with a deadly weapon,” he says, nodding to the knife in Troy’s pocket. 

  
“Don’t for a second think that I won’t. Go home. Now.”

  
“C’mon, T. Let’s go.”

  
Swallowing hard Troy nods, backs up towards his friend before they take off running, ditching their bikes in the process.   
  
  
As soon as they’re out of sight, Mulder turns back to Lucas and Dustin who are shakily standing by the arcade.

  
“You guys okay?”

  
“Yeah. Fine,” Lucas says defensively, crossing his arms.

  
“We are. Yeah. I just…think it’s a good idea to give the mouthbreathers a head start, right Lucas?” Dustin asks, getting a quick nod.

  
“Right. A…a head start.”

 

  
"Yeah, it couldn't hurt. Look, I'd give you guys a lift home but Scully's got the rental."

  
"But she's your partner. Shouldn't she have been with you all this time?" Lucas asks as Mulder sighs, adjusts his bag on his shoulder.

  
"Yeah. Who ditches like that in the middle of a case?" 

  
"I have. And Scully reminded me of that before she took off in the rental. Threw my overnight bag out the window."  
  
  
"Wow. You really screwed it up, huh?" Dustin snorts as Lucas rolls his eyes, unlocks his bike.

  
"Yeah. In too many damn ways," Mulder sighs as the boys hop on their respective bikes. Eyeing Troy's, he walks over and picks up the Schwinn, raises the seat and handlebars before hopping on.

  
"Well it's a long ride back. May as well start filling us in," Lucas smiles, taking the lead with Dustin down the street.  
  
  
"That's if you can catch up to us, old man!" Dustin laughs. Rolling his eyes Mulder shakes his head, picks up his speed up to try and catch up.


	9. Chapter 9

Seated at Will’s bedside, absentmindedly stroking his hair, Scully jumps when she hears the door squeak open. Turns to see Watkins entering the room.

  
“Jesus, you scared me.”

  
“Sorry. Just wanted to update you. Hopper found Joyce Byers. They’re on their way here as we speak.”

  
“Good,” Scully says, quietly standing up so as not to wake Will. “That’s good.”

  
“I thought you’d be relieved. She gets here and you’re off the hook as babysitter,” Watkins shrugs, checking Will’s vitals.

  
“It’s been fine, really.”

  
“Everything seems to be alright. You see any change?”

  
“None. I think he’s gonna be fine.”

  
“Well you guys were my last stop. My shift should’ve ended twenty minutes ago.”

  
“Go on, go home. It was nice meeting you. And thanks for letting me-“

  
“It was fine. Nice meeting you too, Special Agent Scully,” Watkins smiles, reaching over to shake Scully’s hand.   
  
  
“Maybe I’ll see you around.”

  
After Watkins exits Scully reaches for Will’s chart, only to hear a faint groan, realize he’s waking up.

  
“What the…” he mutters, squinting as his eyes flutter open. “Where?”

  
“Hey, it’s alright. You’re safe. You’re in the hospital.” 

  
“Hospital?”

  
“Yes. But you’re going to be fine.” 

  
“My…my throat hurts,” he says hoarsely.

  
“Here, this will help.” 

  
Pressing a button that moves the bed, allows him to sit up, Scully hands him a cup of water.

  
Taking it Will chugs it down, thanks her before his eyes settle on her features.

  
“I remember you.”

  
“Sorry?”

  
“I remember you. You…you’re the lady in the baseball cap.”

  
“Yeah. I had it on when I found you.” Scully says sheepishly. Reaching for the cap she’d taken off an hour or so ago and cleaned to the best of her ability, she slides it back on her head.

  
“My partner gave it to me as a joke. He bought it at the airport.” 

  
“I figured. It’s pretty cheesy looking,” Will scoffs as she smiles.

  
“That’s one way to describe it. I’m Dana Scully. And your name is Will, right?”

  
“Yeah. Will Byers.”

  
“It’s nice to meet you, Will Byers,” Scully says, earning a soft smile that quickly fades.

  
“How was I after you found me?”

  
“You had gotten off of your bike. You looked like you had a bad stomach ache.”

  
“Yeah. I did. I remember you came up and asked how I was. That’s it though. Everything else is fuzzy until just now when I woke up.”

  
“It’s alright. It happens sometimes when you’re overheated. But you’re doing fine now, and your mom is on her way. The chief of police is giving her a ride over. She’ll be here soon, I promise.”

  
Seeing panic on Will’s face at hearing that Scully panics in turn.

  
“Will?”

  
“When she gets here you can’t tell her!”

  
“Tell her what?”

  
“That I had a stomach ache. You _can’t_ tell her!”

  
“Why not? She’s going to want to know what happened when she-“

  
“You’re a doctor, right?”

  
“I…”

  
“You’re a medical doctor. That’s what you said when you found me, wasn’t it?”

  
Surprised he managed to remember that, Scully nods.

  
“Yes. I am a doctor.”

  
“And you’ve been taking care of me since you found me. That means I’m your patient, right?”

  
“Technically yes, Will. But why-“

  
“If I’m your patient, that means whatever you found out about me has to stay confidential.”

  
“I, yes..there is doctor and patient confidentiality but still, your mother should know-“

  
“She can’t know! She can’t,” Will exclaims.

  
“What can’t she know?” Scully asks softly, trying not to let her own concern get the better of her here.

  
“This stomach ache. I’ve had it ever since I came back from…”

  
“From where, Will?” she frowns right before the boy starts coughing. When it doesn’t let up even after she has him drink more water she eyes the call button above the bed. Before she can move her hand towards it though Will grips it, shakes his head.

  
“No! Don’t. You..you can’t!”

  
“Will, I can’t just-“

  
When the coughing turns to the same retching sound he was making by the side of the road, Scully grabs the metal garbage can in the corner, dumps the contents on the floor before handing it to him. Then she starts rubbing his back until he coughs, finally expels whatever was left in his stomach.

  
Taking the trash can from him she walks it over to the sink, goes to rinse out what she expects to be vomit. Instead she sees something black and slug like in the base of the can, fights the urge to retch herself.

  
“Oh my God…”

  
“It’s okay,” Will says weakly, his face sheet white. “Once I cough one up, it’s done. For awhile, anyway.”

  
Wide eyed, Scully sets the can in the sink before pulling the door to the room shut tight. On her walk back to the sink she reaches for, slides on some latex gloves.

  
“Dana? What are you…”

  
Hands shaking she reaches for some metal tongs in a canister on the counter, then gets a petri dish from a nearby cabinet. Holding the dish in one hand she grips the tongs with the other, reaches into the can with them to retrieve the specimen. A creature that has way too many similarities to that damn fluke man thing.

  
“Whoa! I never thought to save one of them before!” Will says, looking on in awe as she puts the slug into the dish.

  
Once it’s properly stowed, put into a biohazard container on the counter she cleans and sanitizes the garbage can in the sink, then sets it back on the floor. Tossing her gloves into it she promptly sits down. Knees shaking along with her hands.

  
“Will…”

  
“Holy crap. You handled that like a pro.”

  
“I am a pro, that’s why,” Scully shudders, not as repulsed by the creature she just contained as to knowing this sweet kid had just hacked it up.

  
“How many times has this happened to you?” she asks, getting a shrug.

  
“This is the fifth time, I think? Like I said, once I cough one up it takes awhile for them to regenerate.”

  
“And you’ve just been taking this all in stride?”

  
“It’s gross, sure. But it beats being stuck back in the other place.”

  
Head spinning with the effort of wrapping her mind around all this, Scully wrings her hands, meets the boy’s eyes.

  
“Will, your mother needs to know-“

  
“No! She can’t know, it’ll scare her and make her think something’s happened to me! But it’s fine, I can handle it! She can’t.”

  
“Will-“

  
“You don’t get it! She’ll freak out again and put another hole in the house!”

  
“Sweetheart, you can’t just-“

  
“Please, Dana. Please don’t let her know,” Will pleads, then frowns seeing her hold her nose, quickly reach for a tissue.

  
“Are you okay?”

  
“I’m fine. I’m…I’m fine,” she assures, not seeing any blood. Yet.

  
“Listen, as a physician, I’m obligated to work in the best interests of my patients.”

  
“My best interest here is not letting my mom know. Look, you can treat me. You can figure out what’s wrong with me. As long as you don’t tell her!”

  
“You’re putting a lot of faith in my abilities here, Will. You’re looking at me as if I can be the one to fix this. Why me, why now? Why didn’t you seek treatment when this all started?”

  
“I was too scared. I figured it was something I could handle on my own.”

  
“Honey, you’re not even thirteen years old yet. You shouldn’t have had to-“

  
“I did though! I waited! And, I think it was a good idea.”

  
“To hold off on treatment until I just happened to roll into town?” Scully asks in disbelief.

  
“Look, I sometimes flash back to or dream about the...other place. And the girl, the one who my friends said saved my life, she told me to-“

  
Trailing off, seeing a trickle of blood running from Scully’s left nostril, Will points as she swears under her breath, grabs a wad of tissues.

  
“She used to get those too.”

  
“Who?”

  
“The girl. With the shaved head. She used to get them too.”

  
Flashing back to that damn recurring dream she’d been having, now it’s Scully’s turn to go sheet white. 

  
“Dana, are you-“

  
“I’m..I’m alright. I promise,” she says, taking a breath as Will reaches over, squeezes her hand.

  
“Please, Dana. I know this is really freaking strange, but-“

  
Shaking her head, in spite of everything Scully can’t help but softly smile.

  
“I’ve seen way stranger things than this,” she says, squeezing his hand back before meeting his eyes. 

  
“And I'm going to help you, Will," she says. Nodding, relieved, Will shifts over, throws his arms around her tightly.

  
"You promise?" he asks, his voice cracking as Scully sniffs back tears, strokes his hair.

  
"Yeah. I promise.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the latest. This chapter is long but I had a lot to say, and needed to attempt to push the plot ahead. More to come soon!

“So you know you’re riding on stolen property right now. Even though you’re a federal agent,” Lucas reminds as Mulder shrugs, continues to ride Troy’s bike down the road.

  
“I’ll return it to the arcade once I find Scully and our rental car.”

  
“Once you find her? Hawkins isn’t that big. Maybe she’s just avoiding you,” Dustin pipes up, earning a look.

  
“I wouldn’t blame her if she was. You threw that Tad guy in her face and everything.”

  
Starting to regret sharing details about him and his partner with two preteen boys, Mulder rolls his eyes, keeps pedaling the bike. He slows down though seeing Lucas and Dustin slam on their brakes ahead of him.

  
“Whoa! How about a warning next time,” he snaps before they dismount, run over to where a boy is by the side of the road. Knelt next to and examining his bike tire. 

  
“Hey, everything okay?” he asks as the boys glance over at him.

  
“Everything’s fine. I just got a puncture. I can ride on it til I get home though, okay?” Mike Wheeler snaps as Lucas and Dustin take a step back.

  
“You said you were gonna meet us at the arcade tonight. What happened?”

  
“I had homework and had to help my dad out with some stuff.”

  
“Help your dad out with what? Annoying your mom?” Lucas scoffs, knowing full well Mike and his dad weren’t the closest.

  
“I had to help him clean out the garage, alright! Look what’s with the third degree here!”

  
“Sorry, we made friends with an F.B.I guy today. Guess he rubbed off on us.” Dustin shrugs as Mulder smiles at Mike.

  
“Hi. I’m Mulder.”

  
“I’m Mike. Why are you on Troy’s bike?” Mike frowns.

  
“Because he took it after Troy took off running like a sissy,” Lucas grins.

  
“Mulder told him he’d send him to juvy for assault with a deadly weapon. He got this look like he pissed his pants all over again,” Dustin adds as Mike turns back to his bike, looking unfazed.

  
Approaching Mulder crouches down beside Mike, sees the tire puncture is more severe than he thought.

  
“I don’t think you should be riding this, Mike. Any second this tire is gonna blow out on you.”

  
“It’s fine, alright? I’m heading home now, I’ll patch it when I get there.”

  
“Look, why don’t you just hop on the Schwinn and I’ll walk the flat home?” Mulder offers as Mike shakes his head, frowns.

  
“No, I said I’m fine.”

  
“C’mon, Mike. He’s just making sure you don’t wipe out on the side of the road like Will did,” Dustin says.

  
“Wait, what happened to Will?”

  
“He was out for a ride and got overheated. They took him to the hospital.”

  
“Is he okay?” Mike asks.

  
“He’s fine,” Mulder assures. "Chief Hopper found his mom and they were heading over there to see-“

  
“I wasn’t asking you!” he snaps as Lucas frowns, shakes his head.

  
“Look, Mike. Mulder’s cool, alright.”

  
“Yeah, we advanced to level seventeen in-“

  
“Look, I don’t care, alright! I just want to get home and you guys are holding me up,” Mike spits. When he tries to get back on his flat bike, Mulder shakes his head, blocks his path.

  
“Ride the Schwinn. I’ll walk this. Unless you want your mom to have to pick you up at the hospital, too,” Mulder says firmly as Mike rolls his eyes, scowls.

  
“Sure. Fine. Whatever.”

  
Jumping on the Schwinn Mike takes off down the road as fast as he can, leaving Dustin to try his best to catch up.

  
Shaking his head, Lucas dismounts his bike, opts to walk it alongside Mulder.

  
“Go on and catch up to them, Lucas. I’m fine.”

  
“Dustin’s better at dealing with Mike when he’s in one of his freaking moods. I just try and stay out of it.”

  
“Has Mike been this way for awhile?”

  
“Yeah. He has,” Lucas says, in a tone that indicates he’s not up for a full blown conversation about it.

  
"Think I can impress him with the Flukeman story?"

  
"You remember you said Scully wishes she could've done without that case? I could've done without your telling us about that case. I'm trying to ride my bike home at night. You think I want to hear about a Flukeman?" the boy scoffs as Mulder pauses. Speaks after a beat as they ride.  
  
  
"What about Antartica? That was an impressive story, right?"  
  
  
"It ended with you rescuing the girl you loved, right?"

  
Nodding Mulder frowns.

  
"Well, we kind of rescued each other but, yeah."

  
"A tip if you want to get on Mike's good side? Don't talk about girls," Lucas warns as they continue to ride.

  
…

  
Once reaching the well lit driveway at the Wheeler’s home, Mike cruises past everyone to park Troy's bike in the garage, leaving Mulder and the boys to follow him up the walk.

  
“Mike-“ Mrs. Wheeler sighs, stepping off the porch. 

  
“I know, Mom. I’m sorry. I just got caught up with-“

  
Gesturing back to Dustin, Lucas and Mulder, Mike rolls his eyes as they approach.

  
“Hi Mrs. Wheeler,” the boys say in unison before cutting past her inside the house. Meanwhile Mulder wheels Mike’s bike to the garage, rests it on the kickstand.

  
“Mrs. Wheeler, I’m Special Agent Fox Mulder, I-“

  
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Mulder,” she says. “Chief Hopper called a little while ago and filled us in. He spoke very highly of you. Didn’t want us to worry about an F.B.I agent trailing the boys home.”

  
“I just wanted to see they got back to the neighborhood safe."

  
“Well Mike was on his way to meet up with them. I figured it was only a matter of time before you and my son crossed paths. He’s been in a mood lately though, I hope he wasn’t-“

  
“He was fine. No worse than I was when I was his age,” Mulder shrugs.

  
"I walked his bike home though. He was about to pop a tire so I let him borrow one that I...borrowed.”

  
“I appreciate it. Would you like to come inside? I can put some coffee on.”

  
“Sure. Coffee would be great,” Mulder says, following her inside.

  
Crossing the threshold they’re greeted by a screaming toddler, sending Mrs. Wheeler apologizing and taking off up the stairs.

  
Mulder’s tempted to turn around and leave, ride his bike back to the arcade and use the payphone around there to call a cab. But before he can grip the doorknob he hears his name being yelled. Turns to see Dustin approach him, armed with a bucket of fried chicken.  
  
  
“Want some?” he asks between bites.

  
“I’m alright. Still full from dinner. I’m surprised you’re still putting it away.”

  
“Faster metabolism,” Dustin shrugs. "C’mon, you should check out the basement office." 

  
“You have one of those, too?” Mulder laughs. Curiously he follows Dustin into the basement where Lucas is seated at a card table across from Mike.

  
“If Will can't come by tonight I think we should just cancel,” Mike says, seeing Mulder out of the corner of his eye.

  
“Look, I recruited Mulder!” Dustin exclaims, taking a seat. "He can be our fourth.”

  
“Guys…look, my experience with Dungeons and Dragons is pretty limited,” he snorts, earning a look from Lucas.

  
“Look I’m sorry it’s not Dungeons and Aliens but we need a fourth,” Lucas snaps. “And there’s no way a grown man who investigates extraterrestrials  for a living had limited experience as a nerd.”

  
“Is respecting your elders considered optional for your generation?” Mulder scoffs.

  
“Elder? You rode home on a Schwinn with Batman stickers on it,” Dustin reminds, earning a look as Mulder reluctantly sits in the fourth chair. 

  
“Look there’s no point in sitting when we’re not even playing tonight anyway. We can’t just bring on some new guy as a fourth, Dustin. What the hell were you thinking?!” Mike snaps as Dustin’s eyes cloud over.

  
“I just thought we could bring in a replacement for tonight.”

  
“Yeah, it’s the first time we’ve been here to play in weeks,” Lucas scoffs, arching a brow as Mike rolls his eyes.

  
“Look, I’ve been busy. I told you that!”

  
“Yeah, busy acting like an asshole,” Dustin mutters.

  
“Okay guys, look just take it easy," Mulder warns.

  
“Why are you still here anyway?” Mike asks.

  
“Dustin wanted me to see the basement office. Looks a hell of a lot better than mine.”

  
“You investigate aliens out of a basement? And _we’re_ the nerds?" Lucas snorts as Mulder rolls his eyes, reaches for some fried chicken. In doing so his pen light falls from his shirt pocket. Rolls onto the floor and into a makeshift blanket fort nearby.

  
Standing up he moves to grab it, doesn’t see Mike spring out of his chair.

  
“Don’t touch that! God!”

  
“I’m sorry, Mike. My penlight just-“

  
Retrieving it himself Mike hands it to Mulder, giving him an icy glare.

  
“Thanks. Look I’m sorry, Mike. I didn’t mean to disrupt...it’s a cool fort. You build it yourself?’

  
Eyes welling up Mike shakes his head, sprints up the steps. Slamming the basement door behind him.  
  
  
"Screw this, I'm going home," Lucas groans, throwing his jacket back on.  
  
"Lucas, I didn't-"

 

"No. It's not you, Mulder. I just...it's late and I'm pretty beat. If you're in town tomorrow come by the arcade. See if we can beat that level."

 

"I'll try. It was nice meeting you, Lucas. Get home safe."

  
"Night Lucas," Dustin says sadly. Picking up his chicken he flops onto the nearby sofa. Feeling worn out himself, Mulder flops on the cushion next to him.

  
"I should go upstairs. Make conversation with adults over coffee."

  
"But there's chicken down here," Dustin says, offering the bucket.

  
"I do like chicken." Taking a piece Mulder smiles, then frowns. Seeing the fort from his spot on the sofa.  
  
  
"Stupid penlight. If it hadn't rolled over there..."

  
"It's alright. He didn't say when you came down here _not_ to go near it," Dustin says between bites. Wiping his fingers on a napkin he stuffed in his pocket.   
  
  
"What's it all about? Unless I'm overstepping..."  
  
  
"It was Eleven's. Our friend...she hung out in there."

  
"Eleven?"  
  
  
"We called her El for short. We found her after Will went missing."

  
"Was she...like you guys? Just a normal kid?"

  
"When she wasn't throwing Lucas and breaking arms with her mind," Dustin shrugs as Mulder tries not to overreact to his words.

  
"She had...abilities?"  
  
  
"She had powers. She's the reason that Will got back from the Upside Down."

  
"The Upside Down?"

  
"It's hard to explain. I probably shouldn't even be telling you all this stuff. I-"

  
"Dustin, whatever you tell me stays here. You have my word," Mulder promises, but seeing the wistful look on Dustin's face directed at the blanket fort, he doesn't want to push it.

  
"She was like our...partner in crime. She saved our asses. We all miss her but Mike thinks he's the only one that has a right to."

  
"Mike liked Eleven?"

  
"Yeah. He liked her a lot. And he hasn't been the same since she disappeared on us."

  
"Yeah, I know how it feels to lose a partner," Mulder says, his turn now to sound and look wistful.

  
"What do you mean, lose her?"

  
"What?"

  
"Scully's still in Hawkins though, right? She was gonna check out the hospital. Get that test result back."

  
"The way I acted with her this morning she could've gone back to D.C by now."

  
"She's a scientist and a doctor and a detective, Mulder. She's still here for this case. So stop sitting around moping and eating chicken like an asshole and call her."

  
Deciding that was just the kick in the head he needed, lightly laughing Mulder gets to his feet.

  
"She'd like you, Dustin. She really would."

  
"Yeah. I think El would like you, too," Dustin says, fighting a yawn.

  
"Go home. Or see if Mike's dad can give you a ride back."

  
"I'll see if he can. Chicken buckets don't fit well on bikes," he grins as Mulder tousles his hair, follows him up the steps.

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No excuse for how long this update took to get out. Thanks to anyone still reading this. More to come soon. :)

After seeing Dustin out, and seeing that Mrs. Wheeler is still occupied with the little girl upstairs, Mulder is ready to call it a night for real. But isn’t relishing the thought of riding a Batman stickered bike all the way back to the arcade. 

  
Seeing the rotary phone mounted on the kitchen wall is going unused, along with the room, Mulder picks up, dials Scully’s cell. When it goes straight to her voicemail he swears, hangs up and decides to try and call the hospital instead. Using the phonebook strategically placed near the phone to get the number. It was late and the odds were slim she was still there, but it was his last hope.

  
After speaking to, and subtly charming, the woman working the front desk Mulder talks her into paging Scully. Shuffles his feet impatiently while he waits.

  
“Scully.”

  
“Why so formal, doc? Who else would have you paged at a hospital you don’t even work at?” Mulder scoffs, feeling her eye roll over the phone.

  
“What do you want, Mulder?” Scully asks, softly so as not to disturb Will who was resting.

  
“I tried your cell but I couldn’t get through. It kept going straight to voicemail.”

  
“It’s the service here. I think it’s spotty.”

  
“Well right now I’m on a rotary phone attached to a nice family’s kitchen wall. I’m not going anywhere. What about you?” he asks drily.

  
“Mulder, I think I’ve stumbled on something here that’s-“

  
“What? Does it have something to do with Kyle’s test results?”

  
“Maybe, I…it’s complicated.”

  
“If you’d hadn’t left me by the side of the road maybe I could've uncomplicated it,” he says bitterly.

  
“Mulder, I'm not gonna get into this in a hospital room with you,” she snaps before feeling a tingling in her right nostril. Shaking her head she sniffs, reaches for a tissue off the counter.

  
“What hospital room? Scully, are you-“

  
“I’m fine,” she says firmly, needing to convince herself of that as much as him.

  
“Scully…”

  
“I am, Mulder. I’m not the patient here. There’s a young boy I met.  He’s experiencing symptoms I haven’t encountered since-“

  
“Since when?’

  
“Since that…Flukeman thing, Mulder.”

  
“Fluky? Scully, there was nothing suggesting that in any files I pulled from the state archives or the Gunmen’s database. How did you-“

  
“I know what I saw, Mulder,” she cuts off. “I was in the room with the boy when he-“

  
“When he what…Scully?”

  
The blood trickle turning to a steady stream Scully sits in the nearby chair, takes a slow breath before speaking. 

  
“Nothing, I…I can’t get into it right now.”

  
“Well when then? Our return flight home?”

  
“Mulder…”

  
“Fine, I get it. You don’t want to share with the class. I hear you, Scully. Loud and clear.”

  
“Mulder, I didn’t-“

  
“You didn’t want to take this case. I knew that but I pushed it and I apologize for that. But you’re the one who pushed me out of the study and back in the basement, Scully. If you weren’t ready to resume our partnership in full maybe you should’ve just left me at my goddamn desk.”

  
Shaking her head Scully wipes the last remnants of blood from her nose, looks over at Will.

  
“Not everything is about you, Mulder,” she says coldly, slamming the phone back into the wall mounted receiver. Then jumps, turns, hearing the door creak open and seeing an unfamiliar woman rush in.

  
“Will! Oh my God..oh my God,” Joyce chokes out. Seeing her son is sleeping peacefully she turns to the unfamiliar woman by the bed, her hand gripping the phone handle.

  
“Who the hell are you?!” the brunette asks sharply. Calmly Scully regards her, walks over and extends a hand.  
  
"I'm Dana Scully. Dr. Dana Scully," she clarifies. "I found your son after he fell off his bike and I drove him here."

  
Relief and gratitude filling Joyce's features she smiles, clasps Scully's hand in both of her's.

  
"Thank you. You have no idea...when he didn't come home after school, I-"

  
"I understand. It wasn't any trouble. He's a very sweet boy."

  
"Hopper told me he was dehydrated. That...that's why he fell. Is he doing okay now? I...I don't want to wake him up if he needs to rest," Joyce says nervously, walking over and sitting in the chair beside his bed. Squeezing Will's hand she gently kisses it. Strokes his hair lightly.

  
Chewing her lip Scully considers her answer, tries to block out Will's plea to her that's replaying on loop in her mind. The disturbing image of him coughing up that godforsaken slug.

  
"I...your son's going to be-"

  
"Mom?" Will mumbles, his eyes fluttering open and settling on Joyce.

  
"Oh sweetheart, are you okay? You alright?" she chokes out, alternating between stroking and planting kisses in his hair.

  
"I'm okay, Mom. I'm fine. I promise," Will answers, locking eyes with the redhead standing quietly by the door. 

  
Nodding, giving him a soft smile understanding Scully folds her arms over her chest, clears her throat.

  
"Will's right. His condition is stable, his vitals are good. But to rule out a potential concussion it's recommended he stay overnight for observation."

  
"Overnight?!" Will balks, sitting up as Joyce sighs, rubs his shoulder.

  
"Will, it's fine. You've stayed overnight in the hospital before. I-"

  
"Yeah and we're still paying off the bills from back then!" he blurts out, regretting it seeing the look on Joyce's face.

  
"You really think I care about the bills? You're my son and you're hurt and you are staying until the doctors tell us that you can leave!"

  
"Mom, I swear that I'm fine! Dana said so!"

  
"I can send someone down to discuss your options, Mrs. Byers," Scully intervenes. "In the meantime try and relax, Will. Stressing yourself out won't get you discharged any faster," she says knowingly before feeling a stinging sensation pulse through her nose.   
  
Bitting her lip to avoid swearing she quickly excuses herself. Cuts over to a nearby restroom.

  
"I'm not staying overnight in a freaking hospital again," Will mutters after she leaves. "Once was enough."

  
"You think I don't feel the same way?" Joyce snorts, shaking her head. "But I'm not taking any chances here, kiddo. I don't care if I'm up to my ears in bills until Christmas. You don't need to go sharing that with everyone we meet though, okay?"

  
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it. But I'm right. You know I'm right."

  
"Yeah, I do unfortunately," she sighs. Reaching over she smiles, tousles Will's hair.

  
"I'm glad you're feeling better. But I want to do what's best. What if I get you home and you start feeling like crud again?"

  
"Maybe we can fix it so that overnight for observation is at the house instead of here."

  
"You become pals with a doctor recently?"

  
"Maybe Dana can do it."

  
"Dana as in Dr. Scully? The woman that just-"

  
"Yeah. She stayed with me the whole time it took you to get here. Even after another nurse told her it was okay for her to leave. She's really cool, Mom."

  
"Really cool or not, that's asking a lot, Will."

  
"I bet you that she'd do it. And I'd feel better if you at least asked. Please?"

  
Rolling her eyes at the pleading, puppy dog look in his, Joyce sighs. Gets to her feet.

  
"I'll go see if I can track her down. Just watch some TV and try and relax, okay?"

  
Nodding, Will takes the remote from her, watches as she steps out the door, cuts over to the nurse's station.

  
"Excuse me, I'm looking for a woman that was in my son's room. She's got red hair. Was wearing a blue baseball cap?"  
  
Thanking the nurse after she points her in the direction of the restroom, Joyce walks in. Sees her standing at the sink.

  
"Excuse me, Dr. Scully?"

  
"Mrs. Byers. Is everything alright? Is Will-"

  
"He's okay. He's watching cartoons in bed. What kid doesn't love that," she smiles, sniffing back tears.

  
"I'm sorry. I'm such a mess right now...I don't-"

  
"Hey, it's alright. Really. It's to be expected. But I promise you your son is fine. If staying overnight isn't something he or you can manage, there are other options."

  
"I want to make sure this is it. That he's alright and we won't be back here two days from now because he was discharged too quick. But the thought of him staying again is really eating at him. He was hospitalized just a few months ago and it took a toll on him and me, his brother. Emotionally, financially, it put us all under a lot of stress. He just wants to be at home and to feel safe. I...I need to give him that."

  
"I can get the discharge papers prepared for you. And a form to let him be released against medical advice."  
  
"I don't like the sound of that. Against medical advice."

  
"It's not what physicians recommend but it's not uncommon. I've done it myself to avoid a lengthy hospital stay."

  
"Yeah but you're a doctor. At least you know what you're getting yourself into."

  
"Look, I can give you my contact information. Take Will home, and if you see any strange symptoms give me a-"  
  
Catching herself, remembering the spotty service and the likelihood her phone wouldn't work, Scully racks her brain trying to think of the motel where Mulder had checked them into.

  
"I'd say give me a call but, I'm here on business and my partner arranged our motel stay. I don't even remember the name of the damn place."  
  
  
"You're staying at a motel?" Joyce asks with a frown. "The only one in town is the Sunset and it should've been condemned a year ago."

  
"So are some of the other places I've stayed, Mrs. Byers. I'll just get a hold of my partner and get the number, I-"  
  
"How about you stay with us?" she interrupts, taking Scully by surprise.

  
"Oh...I...look, I appreciate the offer but I couldn't-"

  
"No. It's the least we could do. You found my boy and looked after him. He trusts you."

  
"He does?"

  
"He said you were cool. And he doesn't say that about just everyone."

  
"Mrs. Byers, I-"

  
"Joyce. Call...call me Joyce. And it would mean a lot to me if you accepted the invite. Have you eaten?"

  
"Not since this morning, but that's nothing unusual."

  
"Good, I can whip us up something then. It's the least I can do, Dr. Scully. Please."

  
Between the pleading look in Joyce's eyes, the offer of food and the potential of understanding a little bit more about Will's condition, Scully realizes her mind is made up.

  
"Alright, I accept. Just one thing though."

  
"Name it."

  
"Call me Dana, please."

  
"Fine, Dana. Let's get you, me and my boy the hell out of here."


	12. Chapter 12

After ending a very unproductive conversation with his still absent partner, Mulder swallows hard, looks around the Wheeler’s kitchen. It’s a nice house, albeit a little dated. He’s sure if he runs into Mike’s mother she’ll offer him a guest room, but he’s not prepared to take her up on that kind of generous offer. He did pay for a damn motel room after all.

  
Looking through the trusty phone book again for the number of a cab company, his search is interrupted by two teenagers coming in the side door.

  
Frowning, the brunette girl looks curiously at him and the boy she’s with tightens his arm around her shoulder.

  
“Nanc, you know who this guy is?”

  
“No. I can’t say that I do,” Nancy says curtly, leaning a bit into Steve’s touch.

  
“May I ask what you’re doing in my house?”

  
“Agent Mulder! I’m so sorry," Mrs. Wheeler exclaims, coming down the stairs. "My youngest needed to be put to bed and she’s not exactly the quickest to nod off.”

  
“It’s perfectly fine, Mrs. Wheeler. I was just about to ask if I could use your phone, call for a cab.”

  
“Nonsense! You’re more than welcome to borrow our guest room for the night. Nancy! Good, you’re home. Show Agent Mulder where the guest room is, please.”

  
“Mom, in case you didn’t notice I have company over," Nancy reminds. "Besides I don’t even know who Agent Mulder is.”

  
“I’m with the F.B.I, Ms. Wheeler. My partner and I are running an investigation and-“

  
“An investigation into what?” she asks, going pale.

  
“Wait, you’re seriously an F.B.I agent?” Steve asks as the baby wails again, sending Mrs. Wheeler apologizing and running back upstairs.

  
“Yes, I am. I’m sorry, you are-“

  
“This is Steve Harrington. And you can call me Nancy,” the young brunette introduces, taking a seat at the kitchen table and nodding for Mulder to do the same.

  
“So, what are you investigating?” she asks nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as Mulder leans forward in his chair, folds his hands. 

  
“We’re looking into some strange things, Nancy. My partner and I are trying to shed some light on a case that took place in this town that we believe is connected to a similar case in D.C.”

  
Eagerly Steve scoots his chair closer, looking like a kid watching a new episode of his favorite cartoon.

  
“Can I see your badge when you get a second. I’m sorry, I just, this is so wild.”

  
“Sure man, here. Have a look,” Mulder says, handing over the badge. Trying to hide his amusement at the awestruck look on the teenager’s face.

  
“What’s the X-Files?” Steve asks, seeing the department listed on the badge.

  
“It’s a division of the Bureau that explores paranormal entities, mysterious phenomenon,” Mulder answers as Nancy pales, while Steve shakes his head, laughs.

  
“Shit, you’re here about what happened all those months…I ..Just wait until I tell you everything we saw, you won’t believe it!”

  
“Steve!” Nancy hisses, glaring at him and kicking him under the table.

  
“C’mon Nanc, what other reason would he have to investigate Hawkins, I-“

  
“Will you please just shut up!” 

  
“Nancy…”

  
“Forget it, I’m going upstairs.”

  
After Nancy walks off, Mulder is tempted to carry on his conversation with Steve, until he hears Mrs. Wheeler speaking to her daughter, then descending the stairs.

  
“Agent Mulder? I made up the guest room and Nancy’s upstairs now, she can show you where it is.”

  
“I…sure. Thanks so much, Mrs. Wheeler I really appreciate-“

  
“It’s no trouble at all. Steve, dear. I think you best be getting home, it’s getting late.”

  
“Sure thing Mrs. Wheeler,” Steve sighs, trying not to sound too dejected as he throws on his coat.

  
Reaching into his suit pocket Mulder hands him a business card.

  
“Here, give me a call at this number if you want to talk about what you witnessed.”

  
“Yeah?”

  
“Anytime, Steve. And for what it’s worth, I probably will believe it.”

  
Smiling, thanking him, Steve tucks the card in his jeans pocket before exiting the house, leaving Mulder to put his bag over his shoulder, head upstairs. 

  
Seeing Nancy armed with towels and an extra blanket he smiles, follows her to what he assumes is the guest bedroom.

  
“If you need anything else just let my mom or I know, alright.”

  
“Sure thing. Thank you, Nancy.”

  
Nodding politely the girl turns to leave the room, but pauses, chews her lip.

  
“Is everything alright?”

  
Slowly turning towards him, Nancy lets out a sigh, wrings her fingers together nervously.

  
“I just want to apologize for Steve. He gets a little too excited when it comes to talking about what he, what we…”

  
“What you saw?”

  
Nodding nervously Nancy perches on the edge in a nearby arm chair as Mulder follows suit, sits on the foot of the bed across from her.

  
“I hate that he still brings it up,” she mutters, shaking her head. “Everything that happened, he just keeps obsessing over it. Keeps talking about it like it’s a funny party story. I wish he’d just shut up about it, let it go!”

  
“Obviously, whatever you saw that night upset you,” Mulder reasons, getting a nod.

  
“Everything about what we saw. Everything that happened. I was scared for my kid brother’s best friend because of it. I _lost_ my best friend because of it!” Nancy chokes out, quickly wiping a tear away from her eye.

  
Nodding solemnly Mulder swallows hard, feeling the girl’s pain.

  
“I know the feeling, Nancy. Because of strange occurrences, events that I’ve witnessed first hand, I lost someone important to me too,” he reveals as the girl frowns, looks up with glistening eyes.

  
“Who?”

  
“My younger sister, Samantha. She disappeared. She was abducted when I was twelve. But in order to cope with the loss I started pursuing the truth. I needed to figure out why it happened, why it had to happen.”

  
“I wanted to do the same thing,” Nancy says softly. “I wanted to find the truth, I wanted to find the horrible thing that came for Barb and I wanted to kill it. We had a plan, Jonathan and I. We had a plan.”

  
“Were you successful?” Mulder asks.

  
“No. She…she was though. Luckily.”

  
“She?” he repeats, frowning curiously at her. 

  
“There was this girl who had these, abilities. She saved my brother and his friends. I…I saw what she was capable of firsthand.”

  
“Was this girl named Eleven?”

  
“Yes,” Nancy answers. “She had these powers, Agent Mulder. She was somehow able to communicate with Will Byers when he was trapped in that other place. Telepathically…or telekinetically or something.”

  
“How did you realize she had these abilities?”

 

“We..we harnessed them in the school gym. Set up this kiddie pool where she…it, sounds so bizarre explaining it. Saying it out loud like this.”

  
“Was anyone else there when you harnessed her powers?”

  
“Jonathan, and my brother and his friends, and Will’s mom. We all witnessed it. We watched her basically be a superhero,” Nancy says with a soft smile, going on to explain how Eleven had defeated the Demigorgon, restored a semblance of order to things. 

  
“Do you know what happened to her, Nancy? After all of these events?”

  
“She disappeared too,” Nancy says solemnly. “Honestly, it all felt like a bizarre nightmare. She woke us up from it and then it was done. Except for Mike. It’s like he’s still trapped in it.”

  
“He doesn’t seem like the happiest kid,” Mulder says, earning a nod in agreement.

  
“He cared about her. And now that she’s gone he just…he hasn’t been the same. I still think about and miss Barb, I do. But I went to her funeral after we found her body, I…I got to say goodbye. Have closure. But with Mike, I feel like he didn’t get that. He just blinked and she was gone.”

  
“I know how that loss can feel too,” Mulder sighs, flashing back to losing Scully both to Duane Barry and to his own struggles. His depression. His stubbornness. Reflecting on their last conversation over the phone he’s half tempted to call and beg forgiveness, half tempted to kick his own ass.

  
“Agent Mulder, is what happened here really connected to something happening in D.C?”

  
“There is some overlap, but nothing to the level of what occurred in Hawkins. Don’t go losing sleep about it, alright?” Mulder says, earning a shrug, still nervous look from the girl.

  
“I promise, Nancy. All my partner and I wanted here was some information. There’s not gonna be any repeats of this. I apologize for rehashing it, for putting that look on your face.”

  
“No, it’s alright," Nancy says truthfully. "Honestly, it’s probably better I told someone about it. Keeping it under wraps hasn’t done me many favors.”

  
“Yeah, I know how that goes.”

  
“Thanks for listening, and for taking it all so seriously,” Nancy says, getting to her feet. 

  
“That’s my job,” Mulder smiles as Nancy says a shy goodnight, steps out of the room. Once she shuts the door behind her, Mulder reaches for the phone on the nightstand. Dials the number for the motel room he booked.

  
“Hey, Scully. You’re probably sleeping or in the tub but I know it’s useless to try your cell in this damn place. I…I wanted to check in, make sure you were alright. The way we left things earlier… I’m at the Wheeler house . The address is 40 Northwood Drive. The guest room phone number is 503-6784. Please call me back when you get this. I was an asshole, Scully and I apologize. I…I miss you G-Woman. Call me back.”

 


	13. Chapter 13

“Well, this is it!” Joyce chirps, giving Scully a bashful smile as she lets her walk ahead of her through the front door.

  
“I know, it desperately needs a little upkeep. But it’s home.”

  
“It’s lovely, Joyce,” Scully says sincerely, knowing despite the beat interior it’s gotta be nicer than the motel Mulder booked for them. 

  
“Thank you. The guest room is right through there, and we’ve just got the one bathroom but it’s right across the hall from it.”

  
Joyce says, setting Scully’s bag down on the guest bed before looking to Will.

  
“Alright c’mon, kiddo. Time to hit the couch. You’re still supposed to be resting.”

  
Rolling his eyes Will walks over to, flops onto the sofa before Joyce tucks a blanket around him, hands him the remote.

  
“Mom, I haven’t got pneumonia or something. I’m not even cold.”

  
“Just humor me, okay?”

  
Nodding, Will takes the remote, manages a smile.

  
“Now is there anything special you want for dinner?”

  
“Mom, maybe we should see if there’s anything Dana wants-“

  
“Oh, you don’t need to factor me in,” Scully says. “Honestly, I’m fine with whatever you decide.”

  
“You sure?” Will asks as Scully nods, takes her wallet out of her purse.

  
“Hey, you put that away,” Joyce scolds as Scully frowns, shakes her head.

  
“Joyce, you’re already putting me up for the night. Buying dinner is the least I can-“

  
“Dana, you’re our guest and I’ll take it as an insult if you don’t put that wallet back in your purse.”

  
Reluctantly Scully does as asked, shaking her head.

  
“Can we get Chinese, Mom?” Will asks before looking to Scully. “I mean, do you like Chinese?”

  
“It’s one of my favorites,“ Scully says, wondering if Mulder ordered the same thing for his dinner tonight. Pushing him out of her mind the best she can though she takes a seat on the couch.

  
“Alright, I’ll go order,” Joyce smiles, cutting over to the kitchen.

  
Once she’s out of earshot Will sits up, motions for Scully to move closer.

  
“I just wanted to thank you for not telling my mom about…well, you know.”

  
“Look, Will-“

  
“I don’t like keeping it from her. I don’t. But I don’t think I have a choice. You see that patched up spot over there?” he asks, pointing to the spot on the wall she’d demoed. Nodding, Scully bites her lip.

  
“When I disappeared she was in a really bad place. I won’t do that to her again.”

  
“Will, unless your mother asks for specifics I won’t offer up anything about your condition. But that’s not saying I don’t have a few conditions regarding all of this.”

  
“Fine, what do you want from me?” Will asks.

  
“I want you to tell me everything that you know about your illness. When you started feeling sick, exactly what your symptoms are, as much as you remember about when and where this all originated from.”

  
“Okay, I…I’ll tell you everything I can. I promise,” he says sincerely before frowning.

  
“Just one thing though, why are you so curious? I mean I know you want to help me and that you’re a doctor but…you want to know when and where this all started. Why?”

  
“Will, I’m not just a medical doctor. I’m a scientist. I studied physics and work as a pathologist for the F.B.I.”

  
“Wait, so you’ve like got a badge and gun and-“

  
Nodding, Scully lifts her jacket to show him her holster, then hands over her badge.

  
“Holy shit!”

  
“Will…”

  
“Sorry. I just…that’s awesome. That’s just so cool.” Studying the badge he frowns at the department name listed.

  
“What’s the X-Files?”

  
“A division of the Bureau that focuses on strange and paranormal cases. The first day I was assigned to my partner he asked me if I believed in the existence of extraterrestrials.”

  
“Seriously?”

  
Nodding, Scully softly smiles. 

  
“I’ve seen more bizarre cases and scientific phenomenon than I care to remember. I’ve also seen firsthand the lengths men will go to control or have an effect on mythology, on monsters. I’ve worked on the X-Files a long time. I’ve seen a lot. In fact, a case in D.C is what brought my partner and I here in the first place.”

  
Hearing that Will feels a chill run through him and he bites his lip, looks up at Scully fearfully.

  
“You’re here because of what happened to me. Because of what made me disappear, where I went to.”

  
Seeing him trembling now, Scully swallows hard, tucks the blanket back around him. When he still refuses to make eye contact she blinks back tears, squeezes his hand.

  
“You can tell me what you want to tell me, on your own time. Whenever you’re ready. I promise you though, nothing is going to happen to you. I promised you that I’d help, and I’m going to.”

  
“Yeah?” he asks, finally looking up at her as she nods, softly smiles.

  
“Hey guys?” Joyce calls over from the kitchen, throwing her coat on.

  
“I’m gonna go pick up the food. Anything else you need while I’m out, Will?”

  
“No, Mom. I’m good,” he says as Joyce nods, blows him a kiss before walking out the front door. Only to collide with Jonathan when he tries to walk in.

  
“Hey, sweetie. I’m just running out to grab some Chinese. I’ll be right back.”

  
“I can go pick it up, Mom.”

  
“It’s okay, you get a jump on your physics paper. Besides, we got company.”

  
“Oh yeah, who?” Jonathan asks, turning the corner to see Scully stand up from the couch, approach him.

  
“Will took a tumble off his bike and Dr. Scully brought him to the hospital and kept an eye on him. Dana, this is my oldest boy Jonathan.”

  
“It’s nice to meet you,” Scully says, reaching to shake the teenager’s hand. Tries not to focus on how clammy it is and how red in the face he's becoming.

  
“I...It’s nice to meet you too, uh. Yeah,” Jonathan stammers, taking his hand back and sliding it through his hair nervously. 

  
“Anyway, get acquainted. I’ll be back soon with the food,” Joyce smiles, stepping around Jonathan towards the door while Jonathan steps around Scully towards the couch. 

 

“Hey, Will. How you feeling, bud?” he asks, tousling the boy’s hair.

  
“I’m fine. Why are you so sweaty? Ugh.” Will grimaces.

  
“I…uh, I got some homework to do before dinner, so…”

  
“It’s fine. Your brother is very good company.” Scully says, sitting back down on the sofa before picking up a nearby newspaper while Will smirks, looks from Scully to his brother.

  
“Hey Jonathan. You know Dana’s a scientist. If you need some extra help with that physics paper or anything,” the boy says deviously as Jonathan swallows hard, looks at Scully who looks up at him over the newspaper.

  
“He’s right, you know. It’s been awhile since undergrad but if you have any questions I’d be more than happy to try and help.”

  
“It’s okay. Thank you, but…I got this handled. I…yeah,”

  
All but running over to his bedroom, Jonathan shuts the door behind him tight before collapsing back on his bed. Running his hand through his hair again. 

  
“Damn it. Couldn’t have some crusty old guy made the house call?” he mutters to himself before squeezing his eyes shut. Trying his best to not drift into fantasies of playing doctor with the doctor just down the hall.


End file.
